(Yicai Global) Feb. 27 -- The Chinese joint venture of US radiosurgery and radiation therapy system supplier Accuray is expecting to receive the greenlight later this year to start producing radiotherapy equipment and supplying the China market.

CNNC Accuray Tianjin Medical Technology, whose Chinese partner is CNNC High Energy Equipment Tianjin under the China National Nuclear Corps, could receive approval in the second half to start manufacturing the firm’s CT-TOMO devices at its Tianjin plant, the JV said to Yicai Global recently. This is California-based Accuray’s only overseas production facility.

CT-TOMO uses Accuray’s TomoTherapy technology and computerized tomography to improve accuracy, so that healthy tissue is not excessively exposed to radiation, and to provide more personalized treatment.

There is huge room for development in the China market, Yi Zhongwei, chief executive officer of the JV, told Yicai Global. Less than 30 percent of cancer patients receive radiotherapy in China, when in fact between 60 percent and 70 percent should do.

There are twelve radiotherapy devices available to every one million people in the US, Yi said. Yet in China, there are only two to every one million people. The low proportion of people receiving chemotherapy is one of the main reasons behind China’s high cancer mortality rate.

Around 80 percent of the country’s high-end medical imaging devices are imported, another executive of the company told Yicai Global. We are aiming for at least 30 percent to be made locally, said Yi.

Radiotherapy equipment is available in less than 8 percent of county-level hospitals, said Zhang Fuquan at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. If more central government-owned enterprises get involved, this gear can be produced at lower cost, making them affordable to hospitals and enabling more cancer patients to receive radiotherapy.

Editors: Shi Yi, Kim Taylor