GE Healthcare, the $15 billion arm of GE, is setting up its first global integrated development centre (IDC) at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore as part of strategic development of its global clinical studies progamme. The centre will develop imaging infrastructure and offer patients advanced medical diagnostic technology. The first study will focus on Visipaque, a contrast agent that was launched globally by GE Healthcare in 1996. Contrast agents are used during medical diagnostic procedures to provide image enhancement of tissues and organs.Under the terms of the collaboration, physicians at Manipal Hospital will act as study investigators and provide clinical and imaging services and administration in the hospital. Manipal Health Systems is investing up to $9 million for this centre. This centre in Bangalore is expected to conduct around 1,000 scans annually as part of the planned clinical trials and will be part of a series of global multi-country clinical studies. Over time, GE Healthcare will create more IDCs in key strategic locations globally.The centre is expected to kickstart operations from September and will focus on Parkinsons disease and cardiac related issues, among others. Information obtained from this site will be combined with data from other centres globally and contribute towards the development of new contrast and molecular imaging agents or new indications for existing agents.According to GE, this centre will play a crucial role in its ongoing global clinical research programme and support its vision of 'Early Health' by helping to bring new diagnostic imaging agents to market and working to address serious unmet medical needs in oncology, neurology and cardiology. "The clinical studies in India are a key part of our global strategy. We want to use our abilities in biology and engineering to develop novel imaging agents that will provide molecular diagnostic options for physicians and their patients," Dan Peters, president & CEO (Medical Diagnostic), GE Healthcare, said.
