Hitachi inks five-year deal with Olympus to jointly develop endoscopic ultrasound systems
Hitachi has inked a five-year partnership with the Olympus Corp. to develop endoscopic ultrasound systems, the companies announced Wednesday.
As part of the pact, the Tokyo-based manufacturer will also continue supplying Olympus with imaging systems and related parts used for EUS.
“Our longstanding partnership with Hitachi has built a strong foundation of products and technology development for endoscopic ultrasound diagnosis, and we are very excited to be able to continue this collaboration and contribute further to improving patients' lives,” Hironobu Kawano, head of the Endoscopic Solutions Division at Olympus, said in a statement.
The two companies’ partnership dates back to the development of the first endoscopic US system back in the 1980s. Hitachi previously announced plans to sell its diagnostic imaging business to Fujifilm for some $1.63 billion, but the pandemic delayed the deal last year. Officials said this week’s agreement with Olympus will remain in effect following Fujifilm’s acquisition.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.