Philips Healthcare parent Royal Philips Electronics and Rosatom, the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, have signed a nuclear medicine research and manufacturing deal.
Under the memorandum of understanding, Rosatom and Philips intend to manufacture SPECT, SPECT/CT, and PET/CT systems in Russia. The agreement marks the first time that an international nuclear medicine equipment manufacturer has declared its intention to grant a local partner a license for SPECT/CT equipment production in Russia, according to Rosatom and Philips.
Philips and Rosatom plan to offer the Russian-made scanners to Russia and countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) under joint branding.
In other aspects of the partnership, Philips and Rosatom will cooperate in research and development (including clinical trials), the development of a local manufacturing base for components, and future upgrades of joint products. Philips said it also intends to license its engineering knowledge for the production and maintenance of medical devices to Rosatom, and it will provide training to Russian engineers.
For its part, Rosatom expects to provide infrastructure, production facilities, and oversight of the production process. The collaboration will also aim to establish the first Russian manufacturer and supplier of a complete PET center for local and global markets, Rosatom and Philips said.