Synchrotron of Wuwei carbon-ion therapy system [Image: Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences]

China's first self-developed carbon-ion therapy system has been approved by the national drug regulator and obtained market access.

This is the first time that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved a domestically produced carbon-ion therapy system, according to the official website of the national drug regulator.

Installed in Wuwei Cancer Hospital in Gansu province, the system was co-developed by the Institute of Modern Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a subsidiary company.

The product is composed of an accelerator system and a treatment system, and includes two treatment rooms that can provide carbon-ion beams for the treatment of malignant tumors.

The approval of the system marks a new step in the development of high-end medical equipment in China. It will also contribute to the development of cancer diagnosis and treatment in the country, according to the NMPA.

A report published by the National Cancer Center in 2017 showed that China has nearly 25 percent of the world's new cancer cases, with 10,000 cancer patients added per day. Every year, there are 2 million cancer-induced deaths. Lung, breast and stomach cancers are the most common types.

Source: CAS