Radexel leads South Korea's KRW 35.2 billion project to develop magnetically controlled radiotherapy equipment

South Korean medical device company Radexel announced on August 24 that it has been selected as the lead institution for the "Global Flagship Project," partnering with Asan Medical Center, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), and other organizations to develop next-generation radiotherapy equipment based on magnetic field control.

The project is a national strategic R&D initiative jointly promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, with a total investment of KRW 35.2 billion, including KRW 27.95 billion in government funding, over a seven-year period.

Under the plan, the Radexel consortium will develop a Magnetically Controlled Radiotherapy (MPRT) system. This technology controls the trajectory of secondary electrons generated during radiotherapy using magnetic fields, maintaining the required radiation dose to the tumor while reducing the diffusion of secondary electrons into surrounding normal tissues, thereby lowering the radiation dose to normal tissues.

Among existing radiotherapy techniques, Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) can already deliver radiation to tumor areas with relatively high precision. However, when tumors are located close to normal tissues, further reducing the radiation dose to normal tissues remains challenging. Radexel stated that the development goal of the MPRT system is to overcome the physical limitations of conventional X-ray therapy, better protect normal tissues, and reduce treatment side effects.

The project aims to develop an integrated radiotherapy system, including technology that uses two magnetic fields to modulate radiation dose distribution, as well as dedicated treatment planning software. Radexel stated that the project targets a reduction of up to 30% in radiation dose to normal tissues compared to existing radiotherapy equipment, while increasing the maximum output dose rate by 50%.

Other joint research institutions participating in the project include SEC, Oncosoft, and the Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL). Kangwon National University Hospital will serve as a non-clinical and clinical research partner, participating in the validation of the safety and clinical value of MPRT technology.

In addition to equipment development, Radexel will also advance certification testing, approval from the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and clinical application preparation in parallel. The company plans to first validate the equipment's applicability in actual treatment settings for breast cancer and prostate cancer, then expand to additional cancer types and enter overseas markets.