Institut Curie, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), and Thales have signed a partnership to develop a unique FLASH radiotherapy platform, aimed at accelerating cancer treatment worldwide. The collaboration, announced on April 22, 2026, brings together expertise in medical oncology, nuclear physics, and advanced electronics.

FLASH radiotherapy delivers ultra-high dose rates of radiation in milliseconds, significantly faster than conventional methods. Preclinical studies suggest this approach can destroy tumors while sparing healthy tissue, potentially reducing side effects and enabling more effective treatments. The new platform will be built at Institut Curie’s site in Orsay, France, and will integrate a compact, high-energy electron accelerator developed by Thales, along with advanced imaging and dosimetry systems from the CEA.

The platform is designed to treat deep-seated tumors, which have been challenging for earlier FLASH systems limited to superficial lesions. It will also support research into the biological mechanisms of FLASH effects, with the goal of translating findings into clinical protocols. The partners aim to begin patient treatments within three years, pending regulatory approvals.

This initiative is part of a broader push to make FLASH radiotherapy a standard option in oncology. The partnership leverages Thales’s industrial capacity for medical accelerators, the CEA’s expertise in radiation physics and instrumentation, and Institut Curie’s clinical leadership in cancer care. Financial details were not disclosed, but the project is expected to receive support from French public research funding and European innovation programs.

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