"The participation of private financing partners plays a decisive role in the implementation of complex public infrastructure projects," said Wolfgang Bischoff, Managing Directory of Siemens Project Ventures GmbH. "This type of PPP solution is increasingly becoming the 'standard model' for general cooperation between the public and private sectors, and not just in healthcare."

With this project, Bilfinger Berger is extending its private-enterprise operator business to include the German healthcare sector. The company will contribute its extensive experience in financing, construction, and building operation to the Kiel project.


In particle therapy, protons or carbon ions are accelerated to a very high speed by an accelerator system and then applied precisely to the target tissue. Calculation and control with high precision enable more accurate irradiation of tumors than with previous techniques, while avoiding unnecessary treatment of the surrounding healthy tissue. Due to its accuracy, this technique is especially suited for types of cancer which are difficult to access or located close to organs at risk (e.g., tumors located at the base of the skull or brain tumors). Other applications include soft tissue sarcomas and prostate carcinomas surrounded by sensitive tissue.

Approximately 50,000 patients have already been treated with particles world-wide. Of these, more than 3,000 have been treated with carbon ions. Only a combined system which also enables the use of various ion types, in addition to protons, can meet today's requirements for the efficient treatment of abroad range of tumors.

About Siemens Healthcare
Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare is the first fully integrated diagnostics company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy, and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care - from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. The company employs more than 49,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries. In the fiscal year 2007 (Sept. 30), Siemens Healthcare reported sales of €9.85 billion, orders of €10.27 billion, and group profit of €1.32 billion. Further information can be found by visiting http://www.siemens.com/healthcare.

Photo Credit:
Courtesy of Heidelberg University, Dept. Clinical Radiology and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)

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