Accuray (NSDQ:ARAY) today said it has appointed Jean-Philippe Pignol as its chief medical and technology officer, effective April 15.
Pignol will lead the company’s scientific and clinical research activities, develop strategic collaborations, evaluate new technologies and serve as the representative with important industry partners.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Pignol, whose rich and unique experience base within the global radiation therapy community will help the Accuray team to achieve its vision of ‘expanding the curative power of radiation therapy.’ He joins the company at an important time in its growth and is a key addition to our executive leadership team,” president and CEO Joshua Levine said in a news release.
Pignol has more than 26 years of experience in academia and clinical practice. He has served as the professor and department head of radiation oncology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.
“Dr. Pignol is a visionary with an incredible background of work with industry partners and track record of publications in the radiation therapy space,” said Suzanne Winter, chief commercial officer and senior vice president, R&D at Accuray. “His clinical expertise will inform innovation, technology and new business development opportunities for the company designed to drive the personalization of radiation therapy treatments and positively change the lives of those with cancer or neurological diseases.”
He also has extensive research experience and has led and participated in clinical trials designed to evaluate a variety of topics, including the benefits of technical innovation in reducing treatment side effects for breast cancer patients and new techniques and applications for the delivery of radiation therapy.
“All my career has been spent in clinical care and research, developing new modalities of radiation treatments, to enable me to learn first-hand the benefits that radiation therapy can provide to patients. With the right technology, this treatment modality helps enable patients to not just live longer, but to live better and to thrive,” Pignol said. “I believe the field of Radiation Oncology is at a turning point where adaptive radiotherapy and ultra-hypofractionated regimens need optimal and dedicated solutions, where the target motion is fully controlled in real-time on machines that can treat every tumor site. I have long been very impressed by Accuray and the very innovative radiation therapy delivery systems its global team has brought to market.”