IntelliRay by Neusoft IntelliRay: Mission-Driven Innovation Empowers Precision Radiotherapy

As a crucial segment of high-end precision manufacturing, tumor radiotherapy equipment is characterized by high technological complexity and substantial upfront investment, representing a typical capital- and technology-intensive industry with significant barriers to development. Coupled with the technological and market monopolies held by European and American competitors, the growing mismatch between the rising domestic demand for treatment and the availability of medical resources has become increasingly pronounced. It is therefore imperative to accelerate the localization of radiotherapy equipment, reduce treatment costs, and ensure that more cancer patients receive precise therapeutic interventions.

Having witnessed oncology patients endure days and nights of waiting just to secure a “lifeline appointment,” and learning how these patients and their families travel from county-level towns to Beijing via various modes of transportation, only to rent cramped, low-cost basement accommodations, what should one do as a professional with over two decades of experience in the medical equipment industry? And how should one go about it?

Yu Xiaopeng, CEO of Neusoft Zhirui and former head of China R&D for several multinational medical equipment giants, offered his answer: by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and innovations in clinical applications, to make precise, intelligent, and standardized tumor radiotherapy more accessible, enabling numerous patients to receive standardized treatment locally. Driven by this original aspiration, he embarked on a journey with like-minded partners to redefine the boundaries of radiotherapy in China.

This team hails from leading international enterprises and top domestic companies within the industry. Some commute between two cities, sacrificing family reunions to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their colleagues; others have devoted decades to the field, never wavering in their pursuit of cutting-edge technologies; some, even while pregnant, persist in navigating challenges alongside their team; and others have forsaken the lucrative benefits of foreign corporations to pursue a career aligned with their true passions. Guided by an unwavering commitment to “dedicating one’s life to a single cause,” a relentless drive for excellence in “mastering every detail of one’s profession,” meticulous attention to precision where “not even a hair’s breadth is overlooked,” and the pursuit of perfection through “countless strikes to forge a single masterpiece,” they have embarked on an entrepreneurial journey fraught with thorns and challenges.

Approximately 10,000 people are diagnosed with cancer daily in China, and the lifetime risk of developing cancer from birth to age 85 is as high as 36%. As one of the common treatments for tumors, 60%-70% of patients require radiation therapy. Due to the extremely high technical barriers associated with medical linear accelerators used in radiation therapy, the current domestic production rate remains below 20%.

Currently, radiotherapy resources in China are predominantly concentrated in large hospitals within major cities, with nearly 90% of patients having to seek treatment at prefecture-level or higher institutions. There is a severe shortage of specialized radiotherapy personnel and equipment at the primary care level. Meanwhile, the quality of radiotherapy services varies significantly across institutions at different levels, resulting in poor standardization and hindering the effective implementation of tiered diagnosis and treatment.

In recent years, China has continuously increased its support for the localization of large-scale medical equipment. As one of the few remaining “fortresses” where import substitution has not yet been achieved, the medical linear accelerator industry is ushering in a historic opportunity for development.

Neusoft Zhirui, established in March 2018, is committed to becoming a global leading provider of tumor radiotherapy solutions. In June 2020, the company successfully completed its RMB 100 million Series A financing round, with investment from Tonghe Yucheng Capital and Ivy Capital. One year later, institutional investors once again extended their support, completing a RMB 250 million Series B financing round jointly funded by Yueyin Medical Fund, Neusoft Capital, Lenovo Venture Capital, and Tonghe Yucheng. The successful closure of these two financing rounds underscores strong market confidence in the company’s future development.

Neusoft Zhirui, in response to the demand for high-end medical linear accelerators among clinical healthcare institutions in China, has focused on overcoming challenges in complete system development, key technologies, and core components—areas urgently requiring breakthroughs in China’s linear accelerator industry. It has developed high-end medical linear accelerator products with independent intellectual property rights, achieving parity with international standards in the field of medical linear accelerators. This effort drives technological upgrades across the entire industrial chain and aims to achieve full localization of complete units, thereby laying a solid industrial foundation for surpassing international manufacturers in the accelerator sector in the future.

The company, in collaboration with multiple leading domestic oncology clinical institutions, undertook a key national R&D program under the Ministry of Science and Technology’s 13th Five-Year Plan: “Research on Remote Radiotherapy Service Models Based on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence.” Leveraging the outcomes of this project, we utilized big data and AI technologies to build a multi-tiered, multifunctional remote radiotherapy cloud platform spanning provincial, municipal, and county levels. This platform has established a service model that provides one-stop support to grassroots medical institutions and interactive, multifunctional services to municipal-level healthcare providers, relying on provincial research-oriented hospitals as hubs. Furthermore, it has standardized workflows and protocols for remote radiotherapy collaboration across equipment, within hospitals, and between institutions, pioneering a new paradigm characterized by the outreach of high-quality medical resources and the sharing of healthcare capabilities across different tiers of the medical system.

Recently, Neusoft’s “IntelliRay” brand was officially launched, embodying the vision of making cancer treatment smarter and more precise. Driven by mission and empowered by technology, IntelliRay is dedicated to advancing radiation oncology, serving as a trusted partner for customers, and delivering high-quality products and services to patients.

"The Road Ahead Is Long and Arduous, Yet Perseverance Leads to Success; Action Ensures Achievement."