Emory University has been named the “Stalking Horse Bidder” by a federal bankruptcy court to acquire the assets of the Emory Proton Therapy Center. This decision follows Georgia ProtonCare Center, Inc. (GPCC), the current owner, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 22, 2026.
The stalking horse designation gives Emory certain bid protections and recognizes its good faith negotiations to purchase the center’s assets during ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. The court determined these protections were fair and appropriate.
While legal proceedings continue, operations at the Emory Proton Therapy Center will remain unchanged. Patient care will continue without interruption, with existing teams in place. Physicians from Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and staff from Emory Healthcare currently provide care at the facility. However, GPCC owns the building, land, and medical equipment.
Emory’s bid includes acquiring a 107,500-square-foot building with an adjacent parking deck, 39 acres of land, a 90-ton cyclotron used for proton therapy treatments, five treatment rooms, and additional imaging equipment.
“Our mission at Emory Proton Therapy Center, the only proton therapy center in Georgia, is to serve patients throughout metro Atlanta, the Southeast and beyond with innovative cancer care and research, powered by some of the most advanced cancer-fighting technology available,” said Bree Eaton, MD, associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Emory and medical director of the center. “We provide seamless patient-centered care to those we serve in a setting designed around healing and support.”
The center began operating in December 2018 near Emory University Hospital Midtown and Winship Cancer Institute at Emory Midtown. It treats about 100 patients daily and has served more than 5,800 patients over seven years.
Proton therapy uses charged proton particles to deliver targeted radiation to tumors with high precision. Pencil beam scanning allows for accurate targeting that helps protect surrounding healthy tissue.
“Proton therapy is one of Emory Healthcare’s specialized cancer treatment modalities offered to patients for various types of cancers through Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University,” said Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil, Lawrence W. Davis Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology at Emory. “As an internationally recognized facility, Emory Proton Therapy Center is here to support our community and our region with expertise and compassionate care.”
The bankruptcy court set March 6, 2026 as the deadline for other interested parties to submit Letters of Intent for purchasing the center’s assets.
