GE Healthcare completes transfer of ownership of its four diagnostic imaging agents from Daiichi Sankyo

Imaging agents are administered to patients for Computed Tomography (CT), X-ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Ultrasound scans, to improve the images that radiologists use to diagnose and monitor disease. Under the terms of the agreement, Daiichi Sankyo, which has collaborated with GE Healthcare for over 30 years, will continue to distribute the products to drug wholesalers until March 2022, ensuring supply and delivery to medical facilities is unchanged.

GE Healthcare is the global market leader for imaging agents and provides its portfolio of products to 130 countries, enabling more than three patients to be imaged every second around the world using its products. This transfer paves the way for GE Healthcare to bring new products to the Japanese market, aiming to further improve choice and diagnostic precision for Japanese radiologists.

Kevin O’Neill, President and CEO, GE Healthcare Pharmaceutical Diagnostics, said: “We are looking forward to increasing partnerships with our Japanese customers and ensuring they can benefit both from tried and tested products, but also from increased choice as we look to bring in new agents to support Japanese patients. Daiichi Sankyo has been an excellent partner, building a strong foundation of reliability and quality in the Japanese market which we will continue to deliver and develop. This transfer allows both companies to focus on our respective strategies.”

GE Healthcare Pharmaceutical Diagnostics is part of GE Healthcare, the leading medtech and diagnostics innovator, with 50,000 employees globally, 2000 of whom are based in Japan. Its Hino factory was recently awarded Lighthouse status by the World Economic Forum for its leadership in digital lean manufacturing. As part of its Gold sponsorship of the Olympics, GE Healthcare will provide all the medical imaging for athletes at Tokyo 2020.

*GE Healthcare Pharma Limited is a newly established legal entity of GE Healthcare to run its Pharmaceutical Diagnostics business in Japan.

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