icometrix announces collaboration with Japanese Micron to position itself for additional growth in Asia

icometrix N.V. and Micron Inc. recently signed a collaboration agreement for the distribution of icobrain to the Japanese market. The joint effort allows icometrix to strengthen its position in Japan and help a larger number of patients with neurodegenerative disorders.

“We are very happy to partner with Micron and to help more radiologists, clinicians and patients in Japan”, says Hogne Ulla, Business Development Director at icometrix.

“Japan has several world-leading hospitals and research institutions. Unfortunately, there is also a high number of patients with brain disorders. By 2025, it is expected that there will be 7 million dementia patients in Japan alone”, Ulla continues.

Having years of experience as an imaging contract research organization (CRO) for the pharmaceutical industry, Micron Inc. has built strong relationships with the Japanese hospital network and leading physicians.

“For more than a decade, we have served as a bridge between pharmaceutical companies and hospitals”, says Michita Sato, CEO of Micron. “This has given us valuable insights into the needs of doctors and patients.”

Michita Sato further highlights the fit between the two companies.

“It is an honor for us to be able to work with the world leading company in brain imaging measures. The world of radiology is clearly changing from a qualitative to a quantitative one, for the benefit of the patient”, Michita Sato continues.

“Through the collaboration with icometrix, we are proud to be able to provide best-in-class brain imaging reporting to our Japanese institutions, doctors and patients”.

CEO of icometrix, Wim Van Hecke, stresses the importance of the collaboration. “This strategic collaboration with Micron is part of our fast growth”, he comments.

“The number of hospitals and imaging centers using our brain reports is increasing rapidly. We have been mainly active in the US and Europe. This partnership with Micron allows us to accelerate our growth in Asia, a very important market for us. In addition, thanks to the excellent reputation and professional services of Micron, we’ll be able to help our Japanese customers in the best possible way”, says Van Hecke.

About icobrain

icobrainis the world-leading solution to obtain measures from brain MRI scans of patients with neurodegenerative disorders. This information on the disease status is of paramount importance for clinical decision-making.

Starting from a clinical MRI scan, icobrain provides an easily interpretable report to clinicians, including population graphs and statistics that can be used to objectively track the disease progression of individual patients. icobrain can accurately compare MRI exams acquired at different times, using icometrixx patented technology. The service is easily integrated into the hospital information system or PACS which makes icobrain part of the normal workflow.

About icomebrain

icometrix was founded in 2011 as a spin-off company of the leading Belgian universities and university hospitals of Leuven and Antwerp. Today, icometrix is internationally active, with offices in Leuven (Belgium) and Boston (US). The icobrainservice is FDA approved and have market approval in Europe, Canada, South America and Australia. icometrix is ISO13485 (Medical Devices) and ISO27001 (Information Security) certified and HIPAA compliant regarding Security and Privacy Rules.

About Micron Inc.

Micron is a molecular imaging contract research organization and provides imaging related technical and clinical trial support services. It offers image analysis, PET tracer manufacturing, and site management services for multi-center clinical trials. The company also engages in the development of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and biomarkers; clinical development, such as monitoring, quality control, image analysis, handling, and image reading.