Loma Linda University Health (LLUH), the institution that created the world's first hospital-based Proton Therapy Treatment Center in 1990, and Mevion Medical Systems, the leading provider of compact proton therapy solutions, today announced a historic partnership to install the MEVION S250-FIT Proton Therapy System™. This milestone represents both a clinical leap forward and a symbolic return to the front lines of innovation for LLUH, launching the next chapter in its storied legacy.

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The installation will replace one of the original treatment vaults within the James M. Slater, MD Proton Treatment and Research Center, a move made possible by the FIT system's revolutionary ability to be installed within the vault of a conventional linear accelerator (LINAC). This strategic upgrade transitions LLUH from its original passive scattering system to state-of-the-art HYPERSCAN^® Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) technology, enabling Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) to treat complex tumors with millimeter precision.

“We wrote the first chapter in hospital-based proton therapy. Today, we begin the next,” said Jerry D. Slater, MD, Chair of the Department of Radiation Medicine at LLUH. “This investment honors my father’s vision and equips us to lead for the next decades with a system that reflects both compassion and precision.”

“This is a defining moment for Loma Linda University Health, one that honors our past and defines our future,” said Anthony A. Hilliard, MD, FACC Chief Executive Officer of LLUH Hospitals. “In 1990, Dr. James M. Slater's vision brought proton therapy from the laboratory to the hospital, driven by a compassionate mission to improve the quality of life for patients. This is not a replacement, it’s a reawakening. It’s our reaffirmation that mission-driven innovation will always guide us, for the patients we treat today and for generations to come.”

A Legacy Reborn with Compact Technology

LLUH treated its first proton therapy patient in October 1990 and has since cared for more than 24,000 patients, giving it the longest and most extensive clinical experience in the world. The new system will provide LLUH clinicians with cutting-edge tools, including an integrated large-bore diagnostic CT scanner for high-precision image-guided treatments and an upright patient positioning system from Leo Cancer Care, designed to improve patient comfort and clinical effectiveness. The platform also ensures the institution remains at the forefront of technology advancement, offering DirectARC™ delivery for clinical use and built-in readiness to support future FLASH* research.

“Loma Linda’s leadership helped create this field. Their adoption of the FIT system is a defining moment where history meets the future,” said Tina Yu, Ph.D., CEO and President of Mevion Medical Systems. “It proves that the most experienced proton center in the world and the most advanced compact technology is the perfect combination to advance the field. We are honored to support LLUH in advancing a more precise, patient-centric, and accessible era of proton therapy.”

About Loma Linda University Health

Loma Linda University Health includes Loma Linda University's eight professional schools, Loma Linda University Medical Center's six hospitals — including The Dennis and Carol Troesh Medical Campus, which opened in August 2021, housing the new adult hospital and Children’s Hospital expansion — and more than 1,000 faculty physicians located in the Inland Empire of Southern California. Established in 1905, Loma Linda University Health is a global leader in education, research and clinical care. It offers over 100 academic programs and provides quality health care to over 40,000 inpatients and 1.5 million outpatients each year. A Seventh-day Adventist organization, Loma Linda University Health is a faith-based health system with a mission "to continue the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ."

About Mevion Medical Systems

Mevion Medical Systems is the leading provider of compact proton therapy systems for cancer care. Dedicated to advancing the design and accessibility of proton therapy worldwide, Mevion pioneered the single-room platform and continues to further the science and application of proton therapy. Since 2013, Mevion compact proton therapy single-room systems have been used by leading cancer centers for treating patients. Mevion’s series of products, including the flagship MEVION S250i and MEVION S250-FIT with HYPERSCAN pencil beam scanning, represent the world’s most compact proton therapy systems that eliminate the obstacles of size, complexity, and cost. Mevion is headquartered in Littleton, Massachusetts with a presence in Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.mevion.com.

*For research use only and requires additional evaluation prior to use.

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