Mergers & Acquisitions Bracco Imaging acquires SurgVision in expansion into the field of real-time fluorescence image-guided surgery
Bracco Imaging, a leading global company in diag- our core business,” said Micol Fornaroli, Chief Strategy nostic imaging, recently announced the acquisition of Officer at Bracco Imaging “and, at the same time, this the Dutch company SurgVision, a high-tech start-up acquisition will accelerate the development of the projects focused on a real-time Fluorescence Image Guided currently in scope of our Research and Development efforts.” Surgery platform based on the combination of targeted “The acquisition of SurgVision by Bracco is a vote of imaging agents and a device for the efficient visualiza- confidence for the field of fluorescence image-guided tion of tumors during oncological surgical procedures. surgery and for the achievements so far by the SurgVi- More than 3.6 million people sion team,” said Ton van den are diagnosed with solid malig- Hoven, Chief Executive Officer nant tumors every year in the at SurgVision. “The expertise US and the European Union. and commitment from Bracco Surgery remains the primary will allow SurgVision to continue curative option for most solid developing a solution that deliv- cancers: the scientific litera- ers on the potential of important ture has long documented that clinical benefits for patients.” complete tumor resection and tumor-specific debulking can Bracco Imaging significantly improve progno- Bracco Imaging S.p.A., part of ses. But distinguishing healthy the Bracco Group, is one of the from unhealthy tissue has world’s leading companies in always been a difficult and the diagnostic imaging busi- recurring challenge during sur- ness. Headquartered in Milan, gical procedures because visual inspection and palpa- Italy, Bracco Imaging develops, manufactures and tion by hand — the only methods currently widely markets diagnostic imaging agents and solutions that available — are limited in their diagnostic capability. meet medical needs. Bracco Imaging offers a product Fluorescence Image Guided Surgery is an innovative intra- and solution portfolio for all key diagnostic imag- operative optical technique aimed at assisting surgeons in ing modalities: X-ray Imaging (including Computed distinguishing tumors from surrounding tissue, using a Tomography, Interventional Radiology, and Cardiac combined infrared camera and contrast agent approach. Catheterization), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), In this context, SurgVision’s innovative targeting solution Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS), and Nuclear is expected to provide significant improvements versus Medicine through radioactive tracers. The compamy’s competing modalities and products, due to the extremely diagnostic imaging offer is complemented by several advanced features of its optical camera and the very sensi- medical devices and advanced administration systems tive targeting performance of its new imaging agent. for contrast imaging products in the fields of radiology. www.braccoimaging.com. “With the acquisition of SurgVision, already one of the most advanced companies in a very promising field, we SurgVision intend to address a relevant, unmet medical need for SurgVision is a high-tech innovative start-up com- oncology patients who have to undergo tumor removal pany specialized in developing Fluorescence Image surgery,” said Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Chief Executive Guided Surgery platform solutions using high-defini- Officer at Bracco Imaging. “The SurgVision platform tion cameras and tracers. The company was founded expands our imaging solutions for healthcare profes- in August 2013, as a spin-off of the Technical Univer- sionals in oncology and reinforces our long-lasting sity of Munich and is funded by De Friesland Partici- commitment to patient care,” he concluded. patiefonds and BioGeneration Ventures. SurgVision is “The investment in SurgVision provides Bracco Imaging with headquartered in ‘t Harde, The Netherlands. key competencies and technologies strategically adjacent to www.surgvision.com.
20 DI EUROPE NOVEMBER 2017