Orbital Therapy LLC won a quarter of a million dollar government grant to test a prototype self-shielded radiotherapy device for breast cancer treatment.

The 4-year-old company said Friday it received a $244,479 grant from the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project, a job-boosting program for small research companies that's part of the Obama administration's health reform package.

The company said the self-shielded device, which received a patent in August, has a lower installation cost than other systems as it does away with the need for a multi-million dollar bunker. It also could improve patient care, by letting the operator remain in the room with the patient, and shielding the patient from extra radiation.

Around 3,000 companies, all with fewer than 250 employees, will receive tax credits or grants from the $1 billion U.S. QTD program, under guidelines in the Affordable Care Act.

Bedford, Mass.-based Orbital Therapy said it will use the funds to prove the benefits of its device.

"This will allow us to gather physics data from our working prototype and make accurate predictions of the benefits to the rest of the patient from being outside the high radiation zone, reducing the risk of radiation induced late effects," said Alan Sliski, chief technology officer of Orbital Therapy, in prepared remarks.

The company said it finished its proof-of-concept prototype in early spring.

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