Zionexa, a leading innovator of in-vivo oncology and neurology biomarkers that can allow more customized healthcare, was acquired by GE Healthcare today. The business plans to commercialize Zionexa’s pipeline biomarkers, as well as the newly FDA-approved PET imaging agent CeriannaTM (fluoroestradiol F-18), which is used as an alternative to biopsy for the diagnosis of estrogen receptor (ER) positive lesions to help patients with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer make treatment decisions.
In the United States, 168,000 women are believed to have metastatic breast cancer (Stage 4), with a five-year survival rate of 28% 2. Cerianna has been commercially available in the United States since December 2020, and nearly 25% of the relevant patient population can now use it.
GE Healthcare’s Medicinal Diagnostics company – the world leader in pharmaceutical imaging agents – plans to scale Cerianna to be available to a minimum of 75 percent of patients by 2023 by optimizing its Molecular Imaging Supply Chain, R&D, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Regulatory, Quality, and Commercial capabilities.
“Like GE Healthcare, Zionexa’s drugs are targeted at allowing more accurate evaluation, stronger treatment decision-making, and potentially safer clinical results for patients,” said Kevin O’Neill, President, and CEO of GE Healthcare Pharmaceutical Diagnostics. This acquisition reflects our contribution to precision health by delivering technologies that assist oncologists, nuclear medicine experts, and other doctors during a cancer patient’s journey, from initial screening and diagnosis to advising therapy selection and measuring treatment effectiveness.”
Zionexa is a privately held company based in Aubière, France, that employs 24 people in France and the United States, all of whom will move to GE Healthcare. In addition, GE Healthcare’s U.S. Pharmaceutical Diagnostics team, based in Marlborough, Massachusetts, will recruit nearly 70 new devoted staff.
“We expect GE Healthcare Pharmaceutical Diagnostics’ acquisition to enable Zionexa to accelerate the growth of its exciting R&D pipeline as well as its commercial presence while providing Zionexa’s team with access to global and complementary expertise,” said Olivier Carli, President of Denos, Zionexa’s majority owner.
In MRI, X-ray/CT, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine imaging, GE Healthcare Pharmaceutical Diagnostics imaging agents assist three patient operations every second around the world.
