BEIJING – Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) announced today that is has signed a joint venture with China National Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Sinopharm), to increase the adoption of radiation therapy in so-called lower-tier cities, where around 70 percent of the population resides.
 
Sinopharm covers all aspects of healthcare, not only pharmaceuticals, including R&D, manufacturing, logistics and distribution, and healthcare delivery. Through the joint venture agreement, Elekta will improve access to over 1,000 medical institutions in small cities within Sinopharm Group’s service network.
 
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Elekta’s CEO, Gustaf Salford, said: “We are proud of what we have achieved in China over the past four decades, especially the first-class manufacturing facility in Beijing that produces linear accelerators, for both domestic and international markets. We understand and fully support China’s ambition towards the "2030 Healthy China" plan. By leveraging Sinopharm’s platform and service network with Elekta’s advanced radiation therapy technology and deep expertise, I am confident that we can collectively bring hope to everyone dealing with cancer.”
 
Elekta’s Executive Vice President Region China, Anming Gong, added: “Elekta has been operating in the Chinese market for 40 years. Our ambition is to extend world-class radiation therapy services to all levels of hospital throughout the country. This collaboration with Sinopharm will help ensure that Chinese people will have access to the same high-quality precision radiation therapy, regardless of where they live.”
 
This joint venture aims to help China meet the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) recommendations of four radiotherapy units per million people, with a minimum of at least 1.5 units per million.
 
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For further information, please contact:
Mattias Thorsson, Vice President, Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: +46 70 865 8012, e-mail: Mattias.Thorsson@elekta.com
Time zone: CET: Central European Time
 
Raven Canzeri, Global Director, Media Relations
Tel: +1 770-670-2524, e-mail: Raven.Canzeri@elekta.com
Time zone: ET: Eastern Time
 
About Elekta
As a leader in precision radiation therapy, Elekta is committed to ensuring every patient has access to the best cancer care possible. We openly collaborate with customers to advance sustainable, outcome-driven and cost-efficient solutions to meet evolving patient needs, improve lives and bring hope to everyone dealing with cancer. To us, it's personal, and our global team of 4,700 employees combine passion, science, and imagination to profoundly change cancer care. We don’t just build technology, we build hope. Elekta is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with offices in more than 40 countries and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. For more information, visit elekta.com or follow @Elekta on Twitter.