GE HealthCare (Nasdaq:GEHC) has revealed its plans to purchase the remaining 50% interest in Nihon Medi-Physics, making it the sole owner of the Japanese radiopharmaceutical enterprise. This transaction, orchestrated with Sumitomo Chemical, is anticipated to be finalized by early 2025, contingent on successful regulatory approvals. Specifics of the financial arrangements have not been publicized. Previously, GE HealthCare became a 50% stakeholder in NMP following its acquisition of Amersham in 2004.
In a LinkedIn post, GE HealthCare CEO Peter J Arduini stated, “With complete ownership of NMP, a frontrunner in Japan, we will boost patient access to cutting-edge radiopharmaceuticals that facilitate disease detection and diagnosis, positioning NMP as the ideal partner for global pioneers aiming to introduce innovative radiopharmaceuticals to Japan and other Asian markets.”
He further mentioned, “In essence, we are enhancing our capability to deliver generic and proprietary molecules to healthcare providers for diagnosing a range of diseases— from Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s — and offering precision care to more patients. Being the sole medtech firm with both molecular imaging equipment and radiopharmaceuticals, this investment bolsters our commitment to cater to patients and clients and fulfill our precision care objectives.”
Nihon Medi-Physics, based in Tokyo, generates around $183 million in yearly revenue and operates 13 manufacturing plants. Its offerings include GE HealthCare radiopharmaceuticals that facilitate imaging processes in neurology, cardiology, and oncology. These products encompass:
- Vizamyl injection (flutemetamol (18F) injection) — a radiotracer for visualizing amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
- Datscan injection (Ioflupane (¹²³I) injection) — employed to assess individuals suspected of having Parkinson’s disease or Lewy Body dementia.
- Myoview (Technetium (99mTc) Tetrofosmin) — utilized in SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging for assessing potential or established coronary artery disease.
“Being the world’s third-largest pharmaceutical market and a frontrunner by cyclotron volume, Japan is poised to lead the $7 billion global molecular imaging sector and establish a center of excellence for Asian regions,” remarked Kevin O’Neill, president and CEO of GE HealthCare’s Pharmaceutical Diagnostics (PDx) division. “NMP will be pivotal in this progression, offering its vast expertise and scale to global innovators aiming to launch new offerings into the Japanese and broader Asian market. This will fortify our precision care approach in Asia and our existing Japanese operations, where our contrast media and medical devices facilitate daily imaging tasks nationwide.”
GE HealthCare reports that its PDx segment’s imaging agents are integral to over 120 million patient procedures each year worldwide.