Seoul-based medical equipment maker Samsung Medison has lately agreed to completely buy Sonio, a foetal ultrasound AI firm in France, for 126 billion received ($92 million).
The four-year-old French startup has been creating IT options for obstetrics and gynaecology ultrasound, aiding medical professionals in documenting and evaluating ultrasound examinations.
Final yr, it obtained america FDA 510(ok) clearance for Sonio Detect, which is alleged to be the primary machine-agnostic AI assistant software program that automates ultrasound reporting and gives picture high quality management.
WHY IT MATTERS
“Collaboration with Sonio will convey collectively best-in-class ultrasound AI expertise and reporting capabilities to convey a paradigm shift within the prenatal ultrasound examination,” mentioned Samsung Medison CEO Yong Kwan Kim.
With Sonio on its portfolio, Samsung Medison joins a rising listing of ultrasound system suppliers that at the moment are enabled by AI. In 2022, ultrasound gadget maker Exo additionally purchased an ultrasound AI supplier, Medo, to supply superior imaging capabilities. Early final yr, GE HealthCare acquired Caption Health, an enormous identify in ultrasound AI.
Upon completion of their transaction, Sonio will stay an impartial firm based mostly in France. It’ll proceed with its business progress independently whereas sustaining the compatibility of its merchandise with any ultrasound gadget techniques.
“Along with shut collaboration with Samsung Medison, as an impartial firm, Sonio will proceed to advance medical reporting expertise and diagnostic software program globally, together with for underserved areas in healthcare,” added Sonio CEO Cécile Brosset.
The closing of their transaction remains to be topic to regulatory approvals, together with that of the French Ministry of the Financial system and Finance.
THE LARGER TREND
Sonio first partnered with Samsung by Samsung Healthcare France in 2021. Their collaboration aimed to substantiate its AI answer for being pregnant monitoring and prenatal prognosis.
Looking for additional enlargement throughout Asia, Sonio additionally tied up with biotechnology agency LifeCell final yr to advertise its AI providing within the Indian market, the place a couple of hundred infants are born each two minutes.
In the meantime, Sonio raised $14 million in Collection A funding final yr for its business launch in america. The funds have been additionally meant to support its R&D efforts and adapt its AI for transportable ultrasound units and level of care.
