GE Healthcare (NYSE:GE) announced today that it entered into an agreement to invest up to $50 million toward homecare ultrasound technology.
Boston-based GE Healthcare’s investment in Israel-based startup Pulsenmore aims to accelerate the global adoption of Pulsenmore’s homecare ultrasound solutions and will also back the company’s efforts to garner FDA clearance and expand commercially.
On top of the equity investment of up to $50 million, GE Healthcare will partner with Pulsenmore to distribute its products in Europe and other markets as the product becomes commercially available. The companies plan to collaborate closely on the development of ultrasound-based healthcare offerings that cater to the homecare market.
Pulsenmore’s novel, self-operated, prenatal home ultrasound solution, combined with a smartphone, enables pregnant women to self-scan for remote clinical assessment by their healthcare provider, according to a news release.
“Our agreement with GE Healthcare is a resounding vote of confidence in our ultrasound technology and our company. With GE Healthcare’s market leadership position and reach, we are one step closer to achieving our vision of making home ultrasound universally accessible for remote and reliable care, ultimately improving maternal health across the globe,” Pulsenmore CEO and founder Dr. Elazar Sonnenschein said in the release. “Through this exciting partnership, we will accelerate the empowerment of women to proactively manage their pregnancy, in collaboration with their health care providers, and will lead the next wave of ultrasound innovation that will benefit patients and providers alike.”
The complete product offering includes a handheld ultrasound device that docks with a smartphone, as well as a mobile app for clinician consultations, a web app for clinician-side interaction and a software API-enabling integration of Pulsenmore’s online services with organization health records.
Pulsenmore is currently developing additional applications and devices, including for remote follicular monitoring for women undergoing in-vitro fertilization and remote monitoring for chronic heart failure and end-stage renal disease.
“Homecare opens the door to tremendous value for payers, healthcare facilities, physician groups and care-at-home providers, with the opportunity to improve patients’ quality of care and experience,” GE Healthcare Ultrasound President and CEO Roland Rott said. “We also recognize the desire of patients—in this case, pregnant women—to be more empowered and involved in their healthcare. This is precisely why we are investing in Pulsenmore’s innovative homecare ultrasound technology.
“We are excited about adding this highly complementary offering to our market leading women’s health and primary care standard of care ultrasound diagnostics solutions, marking a strong step forward in enabling precision health.”