Apollo Hospitals may float Proton Cancer Centre as special purpose vehicle

The company announced plans to set up the Centre in collaboration with Belgian firm Ipon Beam Applications in 2013, with an expected investment of Rs 400 crore

Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (AHEL) is looking at bringing a long-term investor for its Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, the only such facility in the country.

The thinking is to form a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) on the Centre, “for which we are in a very advanced stage,” said A Krishnan, chief financial officer,” of getting an investor, a long-term, 10-year, one.” He was speaking to analysts at an earnings call conference.

The firm is also targeting to grow its oncology business to Rs 2,000 crore annually (it was Rs 850 crore in 2018-19) over the next four to five years. “We will have