RefleXion Teams With MedCrypt on Medical Device Security for First-to-Market Radiotherapy

MedCrypt, a medical device security provider, is collaborating with RefleXion Medical, a company developing the first Biology-guided Radiotherapy (BgRT) system for cancer treatment. In conjunction with the product integration effort, MedCrypt will cryptographically encrypt data communicated through RefleXion’s devices, offering a preventative and real-time approach to medical device security and patient safety.
 
“With any therapeutic device, there are security concerns around an attacker modifying the treatment parameters in a way that could result in mistreatment of the patient,” said Mike Kijewski, CEO and co-founder of MedCrypt. “One of the ways we’re addressing this concern for RefleXion is proactively signing and encrypting data entered into its system by the clinician, then verifying that signature immediately before treatment is delivered.”
 
MedCrypt and RefleXion’s integration arrives concurrently with the increase in cybersecurity threats to medical devices and numerous industries and products at large. Manufacturers of IoT (Internet of Things) devices must adhere to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recently updated guidelines on new device manufacturing. The issue remains that companies characterize medical device security as difficult to achieve as focus remains on other elements of manufacturing, such as production deadline, cost, and availability of services. Device manufacturers are now putting security at the forefront of development.
 
By leveraging Positron Emission Tomography (PET), RefleXion’s patented technology allows tumors to continuously signal their location and activity levels during the radiotherapy treatment. This enables the simultaneous treatment of tumors throughout the body as well as the ability to adapt dose in real-time to specific biological characteristics of the tumors themselves. MedCrypt’s software will ensure the treatment executed by the delivery device matches the treatment parameters entered into the system by a clinician.
 
“Oncology departments must focus efforts on helping their patients fight cancer instead of concerning themselves with the integrity of sensitive data,” said Todd Powell, CEO and president of RefleXion Medical. “At RefleXion, we’re committed to state-of-the-art technologies to treat cancer and proactively incorporating MedCrypt further solidifies our dedication to protecting patient information and lives from security vulnerabilities and cyberattacks.”
 
This announcement follows a year of new customer wins for MedCrypt, including connected therapeutics company QuiO, as well as a Seed funding round in 2016.
 
MedCrypt is a medical device security company that cryptographically encrypts and protects data sent to and from medical devices. MedCrypt’s security software ensures data delivered to devices comes from a trusted source and provides remote, real-time monitoring to alert vendors of suspicious behaviors that may yield potential security threats to their company, devices and users.
 
RefleXion Medical is a privately held medical device company developing the first biology-guided radiotherapy (BgRT) system for cancer treatment. The company is backed by premier investment firms Sofinnova Partners, KCK Group, Pfizer Venture Investments, Venrock and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. and has also received grant funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.