Advanced Oncotherapy PLC (LSE:AVO, OTC:AONCF) said it was making good progress in the face of supply chain problems as prepares to launch its next-generation proton beam therapy centre from a centre on London’s Harley Street.
It said the construction of the medical treatment room was complete, with the LIGHT patient positioning system installed.
However, the group confirmed (as it cautioned at the interim results) the timeline has slipped – to ‘around’ the end of the first quarter of next year. AVO had hoped to have the state-of-the-art cancer operation up and running by the end of 2021.
In a bid to mitigate potential delays that have resulted from the protracted Covid pandemic ‘overhang’, it has looked to find alternative components and suppliers while it has asked contractors to lay on additional installation and testing ‘expertise and capacity’.
The LIGHT system is far smaller than traditional units but is a targeted and effective proton beam therapy system that could revolutionise the treatment of cancer. It is based on technology that was spun out of CERN, which is searching for the so-called God particle.