IBA to Equip Portugal's First Proton Therapy Center in Porto
IBA has announced that its contract signed in April with the Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto (IPO-Porto) has come into effect following approval by the Portuguese regulatory authority. Two compact Proteus One systems will be installed, establishing the country's first proton therapy center.
Two Proteus One Systems for Portugal, the First National Center
The Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto (IPO-Porto) will host two compact Proteus One solutions in a side-by-side configuration, designed to maximize clinical availability, operational flexibility, and therapeutic efficiency. These systems will form the National Proton Therapy Center of Portugal, the country's first proton therapy center. Signed in April, the contract became effective on Tuesday after mandatory review by the Portuguese Court of Auditors. The agreement resulted from a public tender launched in November 2025 and awarded to IBA. It followed a prior agreement between the Amancio Ortega Gaona Foundation (FAO), the Portuguese Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion, and IPO-Porto.
Maintenance Services and Commissioning in 2029
The contract includes a period of operational and maintenance services provided by IBA. IPO-Porto plans to begin patient treatments in 2029. The typical price for a Proteus One system, including a multi-year maintenance contract, ranges between 35 and 45 million euros.
A Signal for Access to Proton Therapy in Europe
This order is part of an accelerated dynamic of IBA's expansion in proton therapy. The group won a contract on June 8 for two Proteus One systems at the Duke Proton Center in North Carolina, and on June 25, signed an agreement with the Fundação Severino Sombra in Brazil to establish the first national proton therapy center in Brazil. Olivier Legrain, CEO of IBA, stated, 'In line with our mission to make innovative proton therapy solutions accessible to more patients, we are proud to have been selected to install the first proton therapy center in Portugal.' Dr. Julio Oliveira, chairman of the board of IPO-Porto, emphasized, 'The awarding of this equipment makes the National Proton Therapy Center irreversible. For years, we have worked towards a single goal: to finally offer Portugal the ability to provide its patients, including children, with this high-precision treatment that currently forces them to travel abroad.'
