Strategic alliance aims to establish the clinical value of helium ion therapy and advance a compact upright P-Cure particle therapy platform capable of delivering both proton and helium ions from a single modality
HOUSTON and JERUSALEM, Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and P-Cure Ltd. today announced a strategic alliance to advance the development and clinical validation of a next-generation particle therapy platform designed to deliver both proton and helium ion therapy from a single compact upright treatment system.
The collaboration combines UT MD Anderson's expertise in radiation oncology, particle therapy and translational cancer research with P-Cure's innovative, FDA-cleared compact proton therapy platform. Together, UT MD Anderson and P-Cure will evaluate the clinical, biological and operational potential of a dual-modality approach that could enable physicians to select either proton or helium ions based on the specific characteristics of each patient's disease.
Initially, the alliance will focus on the clinical value, patient benefits and operational advantages of P-Cure's compact upright proton therapy solution. Building on this foundation, UT MD Anderson and P-Cure will collaborate on preclinical and clinical programs to investigate helium ion therapy, establish its therapeutic potential, and generate the evidence required to support future clinical adoption, regulatory approvals and reimbursement pathways. If successful, this would represent the first helium particle system in North America.
Particle therapy has become an increasingly important component of precision radiation oncology because of its ability to deliver highly conformal radiation while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. While proton therapy has demonstrated meaningful clinical benefits across multiple cancer types, helium ions are emerging as a promising next-generation modality that may offer improved dose conformity, reduced lateral scattering and enhanced biological effectiveness. The collaboration seeks to determine how these characteristics can be translated into improved outcomes for patients.
"As clinicians and researchers, we are committed to exploring technologies that have the potential to improve outcomes and expand access to advanced cancer care," said Steven J. Frank, M.D., executive director of technology and innovation for Radiation Oncology at UT MD Anderson. "This collaboration provides an opportunity to evaluate an innovative particle therapy platform while advancing our understanding of the potential role of helium ion therapy in cancer treatment."
As part of the strategic alliance, UT MD Anderson and P-Cure researchers will collaborate on clinical utility studies, translational research programs and technology development initiatives designed to establish the scientific and clinical foundation for helium ion therapy. The collaboration will include clinical evaluation of P-Cure's proton therapy platform, preclinical studies investigating the biological advantages of helium ions, and future clinical studies intended to define optimal treatment applications and support broader clinical adoption.
The central objective of the alliance is to explore a new level of flexibility in particle therapy delivery. Unlike conventional systems designed around a single particle type, the long-term vision is a compact upright platform capable of delivering either proton or helium ion therapy from the same treatment system. This approach could provide physicians with greater flexibility to tailor treatment based on tumor location, disease characteristics and therapeutic objectives.
"Helium therapy has the potential to become the next major advancement in particle therapy. Together with UT MD Anderson, we aim to establish the clinical evidence for helium ions while creating a practical path to make both proton and helium therapy accessible to far more patients worldwide," said Michael Marash, chief executive officer of P-Cure.
P-Cure's FDA-cleared proton therapy platform utilizes an innovative upright treatment architecture designed to significantly reduce the size, cost, complexity and infrastructure requirements associated with traditional particle therapy facilities. By combining compact system design with the future capability to deliver multiple particle types, the collaborators believe advanced particle therapy can become accessible to a much broader range of hospitals and cancer centers worldwide.
Together, UT MD Anderson and P-Cure aim to establish the clinical, regulatory and economic foundations necessary to support the broader adoption of proton and helium ion therapy and help bring the benefits of precision particle therapy to more patients globally.
Under the terms of the agreement, UT MD Anderson and P-Cure will collaborate on research, development, clinical validation and translational studies designed to advance dual-modality particle therapy and support the future integration of helium ion therapy into clinical practice. UT MD Anderson is eligible to receive payments based on the achievement of certain clinical milestones and commercial sales.
Disclosure
UT MD Anderson has an institutional conflict of interest with P-Cure, and this relationship will be managed according to a UT MD Anderson Institutional Conflict of Interest Management and Monitoring Plan.
About UT MD Anderson
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution's sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world, and, in 1971, it became one of the nation's first National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers. UT MD Anderson is No. 1 for cancer in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" rankings and has been named one of the nation's top two hospitals for cancer since the rankings began in 1990. UT MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).
About P-Cure
P-Cure is a global developer and provider of compact, synchrotron-based adaptive proton therapy systems for the treatment of cancer. Headquartered in Jerusalem, Israel, the company's FDA-cleared platform is engineered to expand access to advanced radiation therapy by lowering the footprint, complexity, and cost barriers traditionally associated with particle therapy, enabling a broader range of clinics and healthcare systems to bring proton therapy to their patients. Building on this foundation, P-Cure is advancing a dual-modality proton and helium synchrotron platform to further extend the clinical capabilities available to its customers. The company's systems are in clinical use internationally, with a growing commercial presence globally. For more information, visit [www.p-cure.com].
MEDIA Contacts
UT MD Anderson Contact
Clayton R. Boldt, Ph.D.
Phone: 832-690-1959
CRBoldt@MDAnderson.org
P-Cure Contact
Stephen Jacobs
Phone: 1 9173468619
stephen.jacobs@p-cure.com
Media Contact
Stephen Jacobs, P-Cure, 1 9173468619, stephen.jacobs@p-cure.com, p-cure.com
Stephen JACOBS, JACOBS & COMPANY, 1 9173468619 9173468619, saj@sajacobs.com
SOURCE P-Cure
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