Jules Bordet Institute and IBA to lead IHI project Accelerate.EU to create complete Astatine-211 value chain

Brussels, Belgium, Octobre 3, 2024 – IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world leader in particle accelerator technology and the world’s leading provider of radiopharmaceutical production solutions, is pleased to announce that the European Commission has approved the financing of the Accelerate.EU project launching on October 1, 2024. IBA’s key role in this new project further reiterates its market leading role in supporting the production of novel targeted alpha therapies for cancer.

As the industry leader of the Accelerate.EU initiative, IBA will facilitate the development of a production network to enable greater access to targeted alpha therapy across the EU through the development of a new alpha-machine cyclotron as an in-kind contribution. IBA will also work in close collaboration with the Jules Bordet Institute, the academic and clinical Accelerate.EU coordinator, to manage the project.

The Accelerate.EU project, a groundbreaking EUR 16 million initiative, has been officially launched with the ambitious goal of establishing a resilient and strategic European autonomy in alpha therapies. This five-year project aims to enhance patient access to cutting-edge cancer treatments by creating a complete value chain for the production and clinical application of the alpha-emitting isotope Astatine-211 (211At).

The project has secured EUR 8 million in funding from the European Commission under the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), matched by an equivalent in-kind contribution from industry partners. This collaboration brings together 17 leading European institutions and companies across 9 countries, blending academic expertise with industrial innovation.

The Accelerate.EU project is set to transform the landscape of cancer care by pioneering the development of novel radiotheranostic solutions to address unmet clinical needs. At the heart of this initiative is 211At, a highly promising alpha-emitting radioisotope with the potential to treat aggressive cancers such as triple-negative breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and glioblastoma. The project will focus on developing and testing new therapeutic agents, ensuring a robust and sustainable infrastructure for 211At production and treatment.

“By integrating the entire value chain—from bench to bedside—Accelerate.EU aims to streamline the supply of 211At across Europe, ensuring that patients have timely access to this innovative treatment. The project will also explore co-clinical approaches, where clinical studies run in parallel with preclinical studies, enhancing the ability to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from 211At therapy. The Accelerate.EU project is a significant step forward in cancer research.” said Hugo Levillain, PhD, Project Lead Coordinator at Institute Jules Bordet.

"As a global leader in particle accelerators, IBA is proud to bring its expertise and advanced technology to this transformative project. Accelerate.EU presents a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of cancer treatment by developing 211At theranostics and accelerating the production and clinical development. With the support of EU funding, we will equip our partners with dedicated state-of-the-art production solutions, offering hope to cancer patients with very limited treatment options. We are proud that our market leading technology is playing such an integral part in addressing the global demand for radiopharmaceuticals." said Charles Kumps, President at IBA RadioPharma Solutions.

About Accelerate.EU

The goal of Accelerate.EU is to establish a stable and reliable cross-European supply chain for 211 At, ensuring broader availability and access to this promising treatment. The project also aims to develop a cutting-edge cyclotron and to enable the deployment of a distribution network to produce 211At for hospitals.

As the project progresses, Accelerate.EU will continue to produce comprehensive educational and training content to support the deployment of these innovative solutions, ensuring long-term knowledge dissemination and impact across Europe.

Acceletate.EU is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No [10173001]. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme and COCIR, EFPIA, Europa Bío, MedTech Europe, and Vaccines Europe.

About the Jules Bordet Institute

An integrated multidisciplinary centre, the only one of its kind in Belgium, the Jules Bordet Institute is an autonomous hospital dedicated exclusively to cancerous diseases. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

During the past 80 years the Jules Bordet Institute has been offering its patients diagnostic and treatment strategies at the leading edge of progress to prevent, detect and actively fight cancer. The Institute pursues three missions: care, research and teaching. The Institute's international reputation attracts leading experts in the field of cancer. Its spirit of innovation has enabled it to participate in the development and discovery of new methods of diagnosis and major treatment innovations, with the aim of translating the results into improved patient care as rapidly as possible. ​ ​ ​ ​

In May 2028, the Jules Border Institute was officially awarded, for the second time, OECI (Organisation of European Cancer Institutes) accreditation as a "Comprehensive Cancer Center", a quality label reserved for multidisciplinary cancer care institutions that combine research and training. The Jules Bordet Institute is the only Comprehensive Cancer Centre with OECI accreditation in Belgium. ​ ​ ​

On 28 November 2021, the Jules Bordet Institute opened its new building on the ULB university campus in Anderlecht with 80,000 m² fully dedicated to leading edge cancer care, research and training, as well as a patient well-being centre. It offers 250 hospitalisation beds and 43 day hospitalisation beds. ​ ​

The Jules Bordet Institute is also part of the H.U.B., the University Hospital of Brussels, which includes the Erasmus Hospital, the Jules Bordet Institute and the Queen Fabiola Children's Hospital. ​ Thanks to new investments, this internationally renowned university hospital group is able to guarantee high quality care accessible to all combined with excellence in research and training. ​ ​ ​

www.bordet.be

About IBA

IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) is the world leader in particle accelerator technology. The company is the leading supplier of equipment and services in the field of proton therapy, considered to be the most advanced form of radiation therapy available today. IBA is also a leading player in the fields of industrial sterilization, radiopharmaceuticals and dosimetry. The company, based in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, employs approximately 2,000 people worldwide. IBA is a certified B Corporation (B Corp) meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance. IBA is listed on the pan-European stock exchange EURONEXT (IBA: Reuters IBAB.BR and Bloomberg IBAB.BB). More information can be found at: www.iba-worldwide.com
​

Accelerate.EU Consortium Members ​

IHI industry association partners