Loma Linda University Health and Mevion Medical Systems Forge Historic Partnership to Usher in a New Era of Proton Therapy
In a landmark announcement that bridges pioneering legacy with cutting-edge innovation, Loma Linda University Health (LLUH)—the institution that launched the world’s first hospital-based Proton Therapy Treatment Center in 1990—and Mevion Medical Systems, a global leader in compact proton therapy technology, have unveiled a transformative partnership to install the MEVION S250-FIT Proton Therapy System™. This strategic collaboration marks far more than a simple equipment upgrade; it represents a profound recommitment to clinical excellence, patient-centered care, and the future of precision oncology—reigniting LLUH’s role as the undisputed birthplace and enduring leader of hospital-integrated proton therapy.
The new system will be installed within the James M. Slater, MD Proton Treatment and Research Center, replacing one of the original treatment vaults that has served thousands of patients over more than three decades. What makes this transition revolutionary is the FIT (Flexible Installation Technology) platform’s unique engineering: it is the only proton therapy system in the world designed to fit directly into the existing vault of a conventional linear accelerator (LINAC), eliminating the need for costly, time-consuming new construction. This breakthrough enables institutions like LLUH to modernize their proton therapy capabilities without massive capital outlays or prolonged service disruptions—a game-changer for hospitals seeking to adopt advanced radiation oncology technologies.
With this upgrade, LLUH transitions from its historic passive scattering delivery method to HYPERSCAN® Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS), the gold standard in modern proton therapy. PBS allows clinicians to “paint” radiation dose layer by layer with sub-millimeter precision, conforming tightly to the shape of even the most complex and irregular tumors—such as those in the brain, spine, head and neck, and pediatric cancers—while dramatically sparing surrounding healthy tissue. This capability enables Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT), a highly sophisticated form of treatment that optimizes dose distribution in three dimensions, further enhancing therapeutic accuracy and reducing long-term side effects, especially critical for young patients whose developing bodies are particularly vulnerable to radiation exposure.
“This is not just an upgrade—it’s a homecoming,” said Jerry D. Slater, MD, Chair of the Department of Radiation Medicine at LLUH and son of the center’s visionary founder, Dr. James M. Slater. “We wrote the first chapter in hospital-based proton therapy. Today, we begin the next. This investment honors my father’s legacy and equips us to lead for the next decades with a system that reflects both compassion and precision.”
The emotional and strategic weight of this moment is not lost on LLUH leadership. Anthony A. Hilliard, MD, FACC, Chief Executive Officer of LLUH Hospitals, emphasized the continuity of mission: “In 1990, Dr. James M. Slater’s vision brought proton therapy from the physics laboratory into the hospital setting, driven by a deeply compassionate mission to improve the quality of life for cancer 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 Through Innovation
Since treating its first proton therapy patient in October 1990, LLUH has cared for more than 24,000 individuals, amassing the longest and most extensive clinical experience with proton therapy in the world. That legacy is now being revitalized with a suite of next-generation technologies integrated into the MEVION S250-FIT platform. Among its advanced features is an integrated large-bore diagnostic CT scanner, enabling high-precision, image-guided treatments that adapt in real time to anatomical changes—critical for tumors affected by breathing or organ motion. Additionally, the system incorporates an upright patient positioning solution from Leo Cancer Care, a novel approach that enhances patient comfort, reduces treatment anxiety, and may improve clinical outcomes by allowing radiation delivery in more physiologically natural positions.
Perhaps most significantly, the FIT system is designed with future-ready capabilities. It supports DirectARC™, Mevion’s proprietary delivery mode that combines the speed of arc therapy with the precision of protons, and includes built-in infrastructure to facilitate FLASH radiotherapy research—an emerging ultra-high-dose-rate technique showing promise in preclinical studies for further reducing damage to healthy tissues while maintaining tumor control.
A Symbolic and Strategic Milestone for the Field
For Mevion, LLUH’s adoption of the FIT system is a powerful validation of its technology and mission. “Loma Linda’s leadership helped create this entire field,” said Tina Yu, Ph.D., CEO and President of Mevion Medical Systems. “Their decision to choose the FIT system is a defining moment where history meets the future. It proves that the most experienced proton center in the world and the most advanced compact technology form the perfect combination to advance the field. We are honored to support LLUH in pioneering a more precise, patient-centric, and accessible era of proton therapy.”
Indeed, accessibility has long been a barrier to proton therapy’s broader adoption. Traditional proton systems require massive, custom-built facilities costing hundreds of millions of dollars, limiting access to a handful of elite academic centers. Mevion’s compact, vault-adaptable design—exemplified by the FIT system—democratizes this life-saving technology, making it feasible for more community hospitals and integrated health systems to offer proton therapy without prohibitive infrastructure costs.
For LLUH, this partnership ensures it remains not just a historical landmark but a living laboratory of innovation. By integrating the latest in proton delivery, imaging, positioning, and research readiness, the institution reaffirms its commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in cancer care—always with the patient at the center.
