Heron Neutron Medical announced on the 10th that it has partnered with Taipei Veterans General Hospital to initiate the first clinical trial of Accelerator-Based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (AB-BNCT). The trial, conducted at Heron's BNCT treatment center, focuses on recurrent meningioma. In early October, Heron received IND and IRB approval and began recruiting participants. The successful completion of the first patient treatment marks a significant milestone in advancing next-generation radiotherapy.
According to the latest cancer report from Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare, meningioma is the second most common primary brain tumor after glioblastoma, with a high recurrence rate and limited treatment success. Average survival for patients is only 14 to 16 months. However, advancements in medical technology now offer new treatment options, such as Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), a targeted radiotherapy approach.
Heron explained that BNCT combines neutron radiation with boron-based drugs to precisely target cancer cells, achieving cell-level precision. Heron has developed a boron-containing drug, B10 L-BPA, in collaboration with a domestic CDMO partner. This drug selectively enters tumor cells, and when exposed to neutron radiation, the boron-10 atoms react, releasing high-energy alpha particles and lithium nuclei. These particles have a short range, affecting only the tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue, thus providing high tumor selectivity with minimal side effects. BNCT is particularly suited for recurrent and hard-to-treat cancers.
Founded in 2017 as a subsidiary of Hermes Microvision, Heron Neutron Medical has independently developed the AB-BNCT cancer treatment system, collaborating with Taiwanese industry to complete the equipment's manufacturing. In June of this year, Heron received a medical device license for its neutron radiation system, marking a major step forward in Taiwan's cancer treatment technology. Heron plans to expand BNCT applications to cover more cancer types, aiming to improve patient quality of life and survival. This historic collaboration is expected to lead cancer treatment into a more effective, precision-based era, bringing hope and breakthroughs to more cancer patients.
Resource (mandarin): 禾榮科技與台北榮總合作 啟動硼中子捕獲治療首例臨床
