Siemens and Varian in Global Collaboration to Develop Radiotherapy, Radiosurgery Advances

Varian Medical Systems (Palo Alto, CA, USA) and Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany) recently signed a strategic global partnership to provide advanced diagnostic and therapeutic systems and services for treating cancer with image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery.

The collaboration encompasses the mutual marketing and representation of products for imaging and treatment in the global radiation oncology business. This partnership additionally comprises the development of software interfaces between Siemens and Varian treatment systems. The two companies will also explore opportunities for joint development of new products for image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery.

Under the agreement, Varian will represent Siemens diagnostic imaging products such as computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to radiation oncology clinics around the world beginning immediately in most international markets and expanding to North America later in 2012.

Siemens Healthcare will correspondingly represent Varian equipment and software for radiotherapy and radiosurgery within its offerings to its healthcare customers. This will enable the companies to offer comprehensive solutions to support the entire clinical workflow from imaging to treatment. Siemens will continue to service and support its global installed base of about 2,000 medical linear accelerators. The agreement will give Siemens customers more choices for therapy equipment, including smooth transition and interface to Varian equipment, as aging accelerators are due for replacement.

Moreover, Varian and Siemens will develop interfaces that will enable connecting Varian’s Aria oncology information-system software with Siemens accelerators and imaging systems to provide clinics with more alternatives for improving workflow and streamlining their operations. The collaboration enables Varian and Siemens to co-develop and offer cancer treatment centers new imaging and treatment systems utilizing the capabilities and technology of both companies.

“This is an exciting development that will enable Varian to enhance and expand its clinical offerings for the benefit of cancer patients around the globe,” said Tim Guertin, president and CEO of Varian Medical Systems. “By developing strong software connectivity and new architecture linking Siemens and Varian systems, together we can give clinics important new options for imaging and treating patients. Another key objective of this partnership is to accelerate innovation and provide more efficient and effective solutions, particularly in emerging markets.”

“With this step under Siemens’ Healthcare Agenda 2013, we aim to strengthen our position as imaging partner of choice in radiation oncology,” said Walter Marzendorfer CEO of Siemens radiation oncology and computed tomography. “Through this collaboration, Siemens will continue to serve the global radiation oncology business and help improve the treatment of cancer patients around the globe with high-quality imaging and treatment solutions that utilize our core competency and engineering excellence in imaging.”

Siemens Healthcare is one of the world’s largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology, and hearing aids. Launched by Siemens Healthcare in November 2011, Agenda 2013 is a two-year global initiative to strengthen the healthcare sector’s innovative strength and competitiveness. Specific measures will be implemented in four fields of action: innovation, competitiveness, regional footprint, and people development.

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. is a world-leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, and brachytherapy. The company supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers, and medical oncology practices.

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