GE HealthCare aims to further build out its portfolio of programs focused on brain scans with a deal to acquire the MRI artificial intelligence developer icometrix following years of collaborating.
That includes the Belgium-based company’s icobrain aria platform, an FDA-cleared and CE-marked imaging solution for detecting and quantifying the side effects of Alzheimer’s disease therapies targeting amyloid plaque buildups, which can include brain swelling and small bleeds.
GE HealthCare said that, with the recent approvals of new anti-amyloid therapies, patients with Alzheimer’s may need more frequent MRI scans to track the progress and safety of their regimens.
“This effort marks a pivotal step in our journey to advance precision care in neurology,” GE HealthCare’s imaging president and CEO, Roland Rott, said in a statement. “By integrating icometrix’s AI-powered insights with our advanced imaging technologies, we aim to empower care teams with the clarity and confidence needed to navigate complex neurological conditions.”
The deal’s financial terms were not disclosed, though GE HealthCare said it plans to fund it with cash on hand.
Icometrix, founded in 2011, also maintains AI-powered programs for diagnosing and monitoring Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and dementia, as well as for identifying strokes, traumatic brain injuries and tumors.
Nearly one year ago, GE HealthCare’s previously acquired MIM Software division received an FDA clearance for software to quantify amyloid plaque density from PET images, as it prepares itself to offer solutions across the patient’s journey from diagnosis through treatment. The company estimates that by 2050 nearly 13 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.