LIXTE Biotechnology Acquires Liora Technologies' LiGHT Proton Therapy System for Cancer Treatment
Key Insights
LIXTE Biotechnology completed the acquisition of Liora Technologies Europe Ltd. (search), gaining access to the proprietary LiGHT System for electronically controlled proton therapy.
The LiGHT System delivers high-precision proton therapy with very high dose rates to deep-seated tumors while reducing installation costs and treatment sessions.
The acquisition marks LIXTE's entry into radiotherapy and complements its existing pharmaceutical pipeline, including ongoing clinical trials with LB-100 for ovarian and colon cancers.
LIXTE Biotechnology Holdings (search), Inc. (Nasdaq: LIXT) announced the completion of its acquisition of Liora Technologies Europe Ltd. (search), a UK-based company that has developed an innovative electronically controlled proton therapy system for cancer treatment. The acquisition brings LIXTE into the radiotherapy segment and adds the proprietary LiGHT System (Linac for Image Guided Hadron Therapy) to its cancer treatment portfolio.
Advanced Proton Therapy Technology
The LiGHT System represents a significant advancement in proton therapy technology, offering substantial advantages over currently available systems. Located at the Science and Technology Facilities Council's (STFC) Daresbury Laboratory in the UK, the technology has benefited from over $300 million in development investment to date.
Professor Steve Myers, former Director of Accelerators and Technology at CERN, highlighted the system's capabilities: "The highly adaptable LiGHT System provides a proton beam allowing the delivery of very high dose rates to deep-seated tumors. In addition to the unique biological effects, it will also greatly reduce the installation cost and the number of treatment sessions needed, compared to current technologies, and is expected to significantly increase the number of patients that a treatment center can serve."
Strategic Expansion into Radiotherapy
The acquisition represents LIXTE's first entry into the radiotherapy market, expanding beyond its pharmaceutical focus. CEO Geordan Pursglove emphasized the strategic importance of the move: "The acquisition of Liora represents our entry in the radiotherapy segment of cancer care and marks a significant step in LIXTE's corporate growth and development as we aim to fulfill our mission of treating cancer with cutting-edge technologies."
Pursglove expressed confidence in the technology's potential, stating: "We believe that Liora's flagship technology LiGHT System has significant global potential and could well set a new gold standard in cancer care, delivering high-precision proton therapy that is scalable and clinically versatile."
Complementary to Existing Pipeline
The Liora acquisition complements LIXTE's existing pharmaceutical development programs, particularly its ongoing clinical trials with LB-100, a first-in-class PP2A (search) inhibitor. The company is currently conducting proof-of-concept clinical trials for LB-100 in Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma and Metastatic Colon Cancer.
LB-100 represents a pioneering approach in cancer biology through "activation lethality," a new treatment paradigm that has demonstrated tolerability in cancer patients at doses associated with anti-cancer activity. The compound has shown potential to enhance both chemotherapies and immunotherapies based on extensive preclinical data.
Future Development Plans
LIXTE plans to establish the STFC Daresbury Laboratory as a center of excellence for proton therapy treatment using the LiGHT system. The company intends to pursue a recurring revenue model through jointly operated treatment centers, leveraging the technology's scalability and clinical versatility.
Professor Myers expressed optimism about the technology's transformative potential: "With LIXTE's acquisition of Liora's assets, I am excited to see how the Company advances and scales this technology. I believe there is tremendous potential to turn this into a transformative new standard in cancer treatment."
The acquisition positions LIXTE to address multiple aspects of cancer care, combining its pharmaceutical expertise with advanced radiotherapy technology to provide comprehensive treatment solutions for cancer patients.