GE Healthcare Forms Biomolecular Imaging Alliance with Fujifilm

GE Healthcare (Chalfont St. Giles, UK), a unit of General Electric Co. (Fairfield, CT, USA), has entered into a strategic alliance agreement with Fujifilm Corp. (Tokyo, Japan). Under the terms of alliance, Fujifilm will develop, manufacture, and supply advanced biomolecular-imaging systems to GE Healthcare. The products will be sold worldwide under the GE brand in the life science research and drug discovery markets.

Life science research has advanced rapidly in recent years with the advent of tools for genomic and protein research such as biomolecular labeling, detection, and analysis. These technologies have helped reveal the functions of proteins, thereby contributing to scientists' understanding of disease processes. The use of life science instrumentation and reagents in bioscience research is growing, and the demand for new and innovative enabling technologies is expanding.

In 1987, Fujifilm was the first company to introduce the innovative digital autoradiography device, which utilized the imaging plate, a radiation detector with sensitivity 100 times greater than X-ray film. Since then, Fujifilm has utilized its chemical and optical technologies cultivated in the field of photo imaging to launch a wide range of instruments, including innovative charged coupled device (CCD) camera systems, contributing to the advancement of imaging in genomic and protein research.

In 1923, GE Healthcare introduced the first radioisotope reagents, which initiated the field of biomolecular labeling and detection. Since then, GE Healthcare has introduced a series of nonradioactive detection reagents, such as ECL and CyDyes, to enable safe and quantitative biomolecular labeling, detection, and analysis. The company's system solutions have radically improved the way scientists can analyze gene and protein expression in tissues and cells.

"This deal represents an important progression for our business,” stated Yuzo Toda, director, corporate vice president, general manager of life science products division, Fujifilm. "By forming the alliance, both companies will make the most of our complementary capabilities to continue to contribute to the advancement of genomic and protein research, and to help enhance the quality of life of people worldwide. GE Healthcare's global presence as a supplier of reagents and instruments, and its competence in biological applications within the life science field combined with Fujifilm's leading imaging technologies, R&D and manufacturing capabilities will provide our customers with comprehensive system solutions for research, drug discovery and bioanalytical applications.”

"We are delighted to work with Fujifilm to expand our support to bioscience research in biomolecular imaging system solutions,” said Nigel Darby, general manager of biotechnologies, life sciences, GE Healthcare. "Fujifilm‘s high-quality technology platforms fit well with our proprietary labeling technologies and the adjacent fields in the imaging workflow that GE Healthcare currently addresses. Furthermore, the integration of the imaging platform with our global service organization will give strong and valuable customer support.”

Fujifilm will supply image-analyzing systems for bioscience research to GE Healthcare, and GE Healthcare will market and sell them under the GE brand. GE Healthcare will be responsible for marketing/sales of the systems worldwide, and will provide total solutions including instruments, electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and differential in-gel electrophoresis (DIGE) labeling reagents, and applications support. Additionally, GE Healthcare will provide instrument services for the systems. Lastly, Fujifilm and GE Healthcare will collaborate to develop image-analyzing systems that are optimized for customer applications.

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services for patient care. The company's expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help in delivering better care to more people worldwide.

Fujifilm is one of the major operating companies of Fujifilm Holdings. The company is now applying these their expertise in film technologies to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in the medical and life science fields. Fujifilm is also expanding growth in the highly functional materials business, including flat panel display materials, and in the graphic systems and optical devices businesses.

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