Heron and Taipei Veterans General Hospital Collaborate to Advance BNCT for Hard-to-Treat Cancers

Since obtaining medical device approval in June 2023, Heron has advanced BNCT clinical applications in Taiwan.

An academic clinical trial for recurrent meningioma began in November, followed by a compassionate treatment launched with Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) in December. As of now, more than 13 patients (18 treatment sessions) have been treated.

 The indications have expanded beyond head and neck cancers to include:•Diffuse midline glioma (DMG)•Recurrent triple-negative breast cancer•Recurrent lung cancer•Sarcomas and melanomas Heron and TVGH are jointly building a world-class BNCT center, combining innovative local technology and clinical expertise to improve survival and quality of life for late-stage cancer patients.

 TVGH experts highlight BNCT’s potential in hard-to-treat tumors.

Dr. Yuan-Hung Wu stated BNCT combines drug targeting with radiotherapy to achieve a high tumor-to-normal tissue dose ratio, effectively killing cancer cells. With domestically developed systems, we can now offer compassionate treatment for difficult cancers like pediatric DMG, bringing new hope to rare cancer patients.Dr. Ling-Wei Wang stated our team began clinical trials in 2010 for recurrent head and neck cancers. It showed strong tumor suppression, even in radioresistant cases like melanoma. We’re excited about the continued progress of accelerator-based BNCT to help more patients. 
Taiwan’s BNCT journey began in 1992, with clinical trials jointly launched in 2010 at NTHU and TVGH.

To translate RB-BNCT into a deployable hospital solution, Heron Neutron Medical Corp. established and built the first AB-BNCT system in Zhubei. It brings more innovative treatment options to cancer patients—extending both the length and quality of life.