MOSCOW--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), and a leading Russian medical imaging manufacturer Medical Technologies Limited (MTL), today announced a strategic partnership to manufacture diagnostic imaging products in Russia, starting with GE Healthcare’s CT BrightSpeed™ Elite system¹, in line with GE’s healthymagination strategy. The partnership will see Russia’s first locally manufactured advanced 16-slice computed tomography (CT).

GE Healthcare’s first Russian localization project is aimed at bringing accessible, innovative and modern healthcare technologies to support government programs modernizing healthcare infrastructure for stroke, oncology and emergency care. Consistent with GE’s global healthymagination strategy, it will help Russian medical professionals deliver better quality care to more people at lower cost.

Under this initiative, MTL, a leading Russian manufacturer specializing in development and manufacturing of x-ray, mammography, and healthcare information technology solutions, will, together with GE Healthcare, localize, manufacture and distribute GE Healthcare diagnostic imaging technologies in Russia.

Richard Di Benedetto, President & CEO, GE Healthcare, EAGM (Eastern and Africa Growth Markets), said: “This partnership marks the beginning of an exciting time for GE Healthcare in Russia. We will be manufacturing modern products tailored to local needs in order to bring high-tech, affordable and innovative diagnostic imaging to benefit patients across Russia. This partnership confirms our commitment to Russian healthcare and will also create new jobs for the Russian medical technology industry.”

Anatoly Dabagov, President, MTL, said: “We are proud to be working with a world-leading healthcare technology company like GE Healthcare on the localization of diagnostic imaging products, starting with GE Healthcare’s CT BrightSpeed Elite system for manufacture in Russia. MTL’s track record as a leading diagnostic imaging manufacturer in Russia, combined with GE’s global technology excellence, means we have a solid basis for localizing innovative GE Healthcare technologies to help spread access to high-quality healthcare around Russia.”

Vyacheslav Grischenko, General Manager Russia & CIS, GE Healthcare said: "We want to be in Russia for Russia, and we believe that by starting CT manufacturing we can help bring better healthcare and address one of the country’s top strategic priorities, the localization of high-tech medical equipment manufacturing. It is the right move for Russia, for healthcare professionals, and for the patients we are working for."

First manufacturer-led dedicated Training Center for healthcare professionals
GE Healthcare’s also announced the opening in Moscow of the ‘GE Healthcare Academy’ that will provide access to technical knowledge and education for a wide range of diagnostic imaging specialists in Moscow and the Russian regions. In addition to delivering up to 100 training courses at various levels every year, the GE Healthcare Academy will also host conferences and seminars.

“New technologies in healthcare demand new training for healthcare professionals if improvements are to be sustainable in the long-term. The launch of this new training center is a sign that a manufacturer is not only committed to supplying high-end medical equipment to Russia, but also to building up local healthcare capabilities and enabling Russian healthcare professionals to keep up with the latest innovations,” said Academician Sergey Ternovoy, Head of Radiology Department of Moscow Medical Academy.

Notes for editors:

75% of the Russian diagnostic imaging market is supplied by imports, amounting US$1,472.5 million in 2007.

Estimates are that the Russian diagnostic imaging market will grow on average by 5.5% over the next few years².

Healthymagination is GE’s $6 billion commitment to bring high quality health care at lower cost to more people around the world through advanced technologies and research and development capabilities.

About GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems. Our "healthymagination" vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality and efficiency around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a $17 billion unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employs more than 46,000 people committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website www.gehealthcare.com.

About healthymagination
Healthymagination is GE’s global business strategy announced in May 2009. It aims to help healthcare providers deliver better healthcare to more people at lower cost. GE committed US$3 billion worldwide, for 100 innovations that lower cost, increase access and improve quality, as well as to $2 billion to finance IT and access rural & underserved areas, and to $1 billion for partnerships, content and services.

About Medical Technologies Limited (MTL)
ZAO “Medical Technologies Ltd.” (MTL), one of the leading developer and manufacturer of medical equipment, has been successfully operating in the Russian market since 1997. The company produces the full range of modern radiology equipment being a leader in the field of mammography systems and x-ray imaging as well as medical information technology. Medical equipment produced by MTL meets all the international quality standards, has competitive prices and excellent reputation among specialists. About 3,000 equipment items have been successfully installed in the leading hospitals based in Moscow and the Russian regions. ZAO “Medical Technologies Ltd” is the leading equipment supplier for the Healthcare Russian National Project. MTL has two subsidiary companies and more than 70 authorized service centers in the majority of the Russian regions. For additional information please follow the link http://www.mtl.ru/.

¹ The BrightSpeed is a computed tomography system that offers exceptional image quality, productivity capabilities, and reliability. Based on new GE Healthcare technologies, this system enables clinicians to provide efficient and effective proactive diagnostics.

² World Medical Device Market Report, Espicom Business Intelligence

Conor McKechnie
GE Healthcare
conor.mckechnie@ge.com
+44 771 751 7028

Elena Usharova
GE Healthcare Russia and CIS
Elena.Usharova@ge.com
+7 (495) 739 69 31

Eugenia Shipova
Mmd
eugenia.shipova@mmd.ru
+7 (495) 788 67 84