Despite an increase in sales, Ion Beam Applications (IBA) reported a loss of EUR 12.3 million ($16.9 million U.S.) during the 2009 fiscal year.

The Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium-based company said the loss resulted from one-off charges related to two research and development projects.

The company posted sales of EUR 359 million ($493 million U.S.) in 2009, an 8 percent increase over the EUR 333 million ($457 million) posted in 2008.

According to IBA, at constant scope and rate, revenues would have been down 6.8 percent compared with 2008, the growth recorded in the European pharmaceutical sector being more than offset by a:

• Decrease in revenues in the U.S. because of the global economic situation; and

• Decrease in revenues in the equipment segment because of lack of orders in proton therapy in 2008, as well as weak order intake for other accelerators during the first half of 2009.