Aviko Radiopharmaceuticals, a Deerfield Management-founded biotechnology company developing medicines to unlock the potential of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), and Neutron Therapeutics, the leading provider of accelerator-based neutron systems for targeted radiation therapy of solid tumors, today announced the formation of a strategic partnership to advance BNCT to treat cancer. The partnership aligns the companies’ efforts to build the first BNCT treatment center in the United States and to establish additional BNCT facilities through collaborations with premier academic medical centers.

“To bring BNCT to patients in need, it’s critical to foster collaboration among key stakeholders who are working to advance this precision medicine modality,” said Dave Greenwald, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Aviko and vice president of business development at Deerfield. “This strategic partnership brings together Aviko’s expertise in drug development and Neutron’s industry-leading neutron delivery technology with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with a variety of cancers.”

BNCT involves a non-toxic boron medicine that is designed to accumulate in cancer cells. The boron medicine remains inert until it is irradiated by safe, low-energy neutrons at the site of the tumor, releasing alpha particles that destroy cancerous cells. Aviko has developed a pipeline of boron medicines that exhibit properties to enable effective BNCT, including high tumor selectivity. Neutron’s nuBeam^® system is a comprehensive BNCT treatment suite with an accelerator that produces the highest neutron flux available in the clinical setting, leading to potentially shorter treatment times and improved patient experience.

“BNCT has demonstrated the ability to eradicate tumors in as few as one or two treatments, while minimizing damage to healthy tissue,” said Elizabeth Reczek, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Neutron Therapeutics. “We’re thrilled to partner with Aviko in our efforts to expand BNCT as a treatment modality in the U.S. and globally.”

Neutron has installed its nuBeam^® system at Helsinki University Hospital in Helsinki, Finland, and at Shonan Kamakura General Hospital in Kamakura City, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan.

“Recent innovations related to neutron acceleration have expanded the opportunities for BNCT to be used in a wide range of medical centers,” said Bill Buckley, co-founder of Neutron Therapeutics and founder of New Zealand-based Buckley Systems. “This partnership is an example of how two companies can collaborate to advance a promising therapy to help patients who are in need of more effective treatment options.”

Ted Smick, chief technology officer and co-founder of Neutron Therapeutics, added: “Together, Aviko and Neutron Therapeutics offer a complete solution for BNCT, enabling more medical centers to provide this powerful new treatment to patients.”