Protonica, an EPFL and CSEM spin-off has developed a new imaging and detection technology that aims to make proton therapy - a highly precise form of cancer treatment - quicker, more effective and, ultimately, cheaper.
Proton therapy, a form of radiotherapy that uses proton beams instead of X-rays, induces fewer side effects and reduces the risk of secondary cancers because it targets tumors deep inside the body with submillimeter precision while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. The technology is advancing in leaps and bounds and is known to be especially effective at fighting childhood cancers and tumors close to sensitive organs. But steep upfront costs, complex equipment, a lack of expertise and limited insurance coverage mean proton therapy still isn't widely available. In Switzerland, for instance, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is currently the only institution that offers this type of treatment, and it treats only a handful of people each year.
This is where Protonica, a spin-off from EPFL's Laboratory for Ultrafast Microscopy and Electron Scattering (LUMES) and CSEM, hopes to make a difference. The firm is developing a beam-control system that sets new standards for speed and precision, potentially bringing this treatment option within the reach of countless more patients. It also intends to capitalize on FLASH - a new treatment protocol that blasts tumors with an ultra-high dose of radiation - to make its system indispensable.
Current detectors struggle to combine high spatial and temporal resolution with strong sensitivity, which limits beam performance. Our technology raises the bar on both fronts. And it's designed to be swapped out easily when radiation damages the detector, reducing downtime and keeping a lid on operating costs
Advanced beam profiling supports real-time verification
Under current proton therapy protocols, charged particles are fired at cancerous tissue, releasing their maximum energy exactly where the tumor lies. The beam that delivers them is extremely narrow, sweeping across the tumor point by point and layer by layer. A particle accelerator, whose size is inversely proportional to the particles it produces, generates high-energy protons that travel at up to 60% of the speed of light. Magnets then steer this beam through vacuum pipes to the treatment room. Two parallel monitoring systems ensure both safety and efficacy: one diagnoses the beam itself, constantly checking the status and performance of the accelerator, while the other controls and fine-tunes the radiation dose until it reaches the patient.
Protonica's instruments target both of those processes, determining the beam's position, shape and intensity by passing it through a special grid, which breaks it down into measurable properties. "Current detectors struggle to combine high spatial and temporal resolution with strong sensitivity, which limits beam performance," says Benoit Truc, who co-founded Protonica with Veronica Leccese and Michele Caldara. "Our technology raises the bar on both fronts. And it's designed to be swapped out easily when radiation damages the detector, reducing downtime and keeping a lid on operating costs."
The scintillating resin-based system has already been tested at the PSI and its Italian counterpart, the National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO). Microstructured into extremely fine channels, it produces tiny flashes of light each time protons pass through it. Dedicated electronics and algorithms then convert these signals into exploitable data, such as beam shape and position, with unprecedented speed and precision. "Thanks to its micrometric structure, the detector has a spatial resolution 3 to 10 times higher than existing technologies," says Truc. "And with a monitoring rate 4000 to 10,000 times faster, it can capture up to 4,000 measurements per second."
Reaping the benefits of FLASH technology
Scientists at several Swiss hospitals and research centers are currently testing FLASH, which has proven effective at treating surface cancers with electrons. In the longer run, the technology - which delivers an extremely high dose of radiation in a single burst - could support proton therapy for tumors located deep inside the human body, reducing treatment time from weeks to just one to five sessions and making the whole process more efficient and convenient for patients and clinicians alike. The PSI and the CNAO are currently investigating the physical, biological and technical aspects before this approach can become a clinical treatment-one that could not only improve patient comfort but also increase the efficiency of treatment centres. Protonica's real-time detection system could become a key component of the setup. According to Benoît Truc, "With FLASH therapy, the ability to rapidly evaluate the beam's intensity, shape and direction is becoming even more central."
The benefits don't stop there, because Protonica's technology also stands out for its innovative electronics based on microcontrollers, which drastically reduce integration complexity and cost while maintaining high reliability and performance. "Electronic systems tend to be complex, multilayered and expensive," says Truc. "Using microcontrollers streamlines this architecture without sacrificing performance. The components feature in everything from drones to household appliances. But this is the first time they've been used in this kind of instrument. By simplifying the workflow, we can help make particle therapies truly accessible to patients across the globe."
The startup, whose foundations were laid during several doctoral projects and supported by the expertise of the mechanical workshops, has already attracted attention. It has just been awarded an Innosuisse grant of around CHF 400,000 francs, bringing its total public funding to more than CHF 1,000,000, despite only just having completed its first year under EPFL's Innogrant program. The firm has also been selected for CSEM's ACCELERATE program, which elects around five projects each year.
