GE HealthCare Expands Radiopharmaceutical Capabilities and Patient Access to Advanced PET Imaging Products
GE HealthCare has announced a definitive agreement to acquire SOFIE Biosciences, a leading U.S.-based contract manufacturing organization (CMO) specializing in positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals, from Trilantic North America for $945 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Following completion, SOFIE Biosciences will become part of GE HealthCare’s Pharmaceutical Diagnostics (PDx) segment.
The acquisition is expected to strengthen GE HealthCare’s presence across the U.S. radiopharmaceutical industry by establishing a manufacturing and distribution footprint in the time-sensitive final stage of PET radiopharmaceutical supply. It will also provide the company with opportunities to participate in emerging, high-growth areas of precision medicine beyond its existing proprietary product portfolio.
Through SOFIE Biosciences, GE HealthCare will gain access to a U.S. network comprising 15 contract manufacturing sites operating 21 cyclotrons, as well as a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) facility focused on theranostics. This expanded infrastructure is expected to support reliable patient access to existing and emerging radiopharmaceutical products while strengthening the company’s ability to serve pharmaceutical customers and healthcare providers.
Expanding the U.S. PET Radiopharmaceutical Supply Network
The acquisition will extend GE HealthCare’s role in the radiopharmaceutical value chain, particularly in the final-mile manufacturing and supply of fluorine-18 (F18)-labeled PET products. These radiopharmaceuticals are used in diagnostic imaging and require carefully coordinated production and distribution because of their short radioactive half-life.
F18 has a half-life of approximately 110 minutes, making timely manufacturing, transportation, and delivery essential to ensuring that products reach imaging facilities while sufficient radioactive activity remains. Contract manufacturers play a critical role in this process by producing radiopharmaceuticals close to the hospitals and imaging centers where they are administered.
By integrating SOFIE Biosciences into its operations, GE HealthCare expects to broaden its U.S. manufacturing footprint and strengthen the reliability of its radiopharmaceutical supply network. The additional infrastructure will complement the company’s established relationships with contract manufacturing partners and support the expansion of its proprietary imaging products.
GE HealthCare’s Pharmaceutical Diagnostics business will continue working with other established CMOs across the United States to manufacture and distribute its radiopharmaceutical portfolio. At the same time, SOFIE Biosciences will maintain its role as a manufacturing partner to other leading radiopharmaceutical providers.
This approach is intended to balance the expansion of GE HealthCare’s own product portfolio with continued support for customers and partners across the broader industry.
Supporting Precision Medicine and Next-Generation Diagnostics
PET radiopharmaceuticals are increasingly important in precision medicine because they allow clinicians to visualize metabolic processes and molecular activity inside the body. These imaging capabilities can help healthcare professionals identify disease, characterize biological processes, and support treatment decisions across multiple medical specialties.
Radiopharmaceuticals are also becoming more closely connected with targeted therapies through the development of theranostics, an approach that combines diagnostic imaging with treatments designed to target specific biological features of disease.
As the radiopharmaceutical industry advances, the development pipeline continues to expand. Industry estimates cited by GE HealthCare indicate that approximately 20 PET radiotracers and more than 30 radiotherapeutics are under development.
This growing pipeline creates opportunities for manufacturers with specialized production capabilities and geographically distributed infrastructure. Because radiopharmaceuticals often have short usable lifetimes, the ability to manufacture products close to end users can be particularly important for commercializing new diagnostic agents and improving patient access.
GE HealthCare expects the SOFIE Biosciences acquisition to help it participate in these emerging opportunities while supporting the development and delivery of advanced precision medicine products.
U.S. Rights to FAPI-74 Expand Growth Opportunities
An important element of the transaction is the inclusion of U.S. rights to FAPI-74, an investigational fluorine-18-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET radiotracer currently in Phase III development.
GE HealthCare already holds rights to FAPI-74 outside the United States. The acquisition will therefore extend the company’s rights to the asset into the U.S. market, subject to the applicable transaction terms.
FAPI-based imaging agents are being investigated for their potential to support cancer imaging across a broad range of tumor types. By targeting fibroblast activation protein, these agents aim to visualize biological features associated with the tumor microenvironment, potentially supporting diagnostic applications across multiple oncological indications.
FAPI-74 also has potential applications in theranostics, although its ultimate clinical use will depend on the results of development, regulatory review, and other applicable requirements.
With the U.S. rights included in the transaction, GE HealthCare aims to position itself to participate in the development of this emerging imaging market. The company’s existing international rights and expanded U.S. presence could support a broader commercial strategy if the product successfully advances through development and obtains the necessary regulatory authorizations.
GE HealthCare Highlights Long-Term Growth Potential
Kevin O’Neill, President and CEO of GE HealthCare’s Pharmaceutical Diagnostics segment, said the PET radiopharmaceutical market is expanding rapidly as innovative radiotracers emerge and precision care advances, including through the growing adoption of targeted therapies.
O’Neill stated that SOFIE Biosciences is expected to grow at a low-double-digit rate as part of GE HealthCare. He emphasized that the acquisition will enable the company to participate more broadly across the radiopharmaceutical value chain while meeting customer demand through a combination of GE HealthCare-owned facilities and partner manufacturing sites.
He also highlighted SOFIE Biosciences’ experienced workforce and its expertise in serving U.S. customers, including manufacturing GE HealthCare’s Flyrcado™ (flurpiridaz F18 injection) product.
According to O’Neill, GE HealthCare plans to leverage its radiopharmaceutical manufacturing expertise and scale across the United States, Europe, and Japan to invest in SOFIE Biosciences, expand its capabilities, improve supply reliability, and support patient access to the next generation of precision care products.
SOFIE Biosciences to Continue Serving Existing Customers
Following the transaction’s completion, SOFIE Biosciences is expected to continue operating as an independent manufacturing partner to its customers. The company will maintain supply of its existing product portfolio, including radiopharmaceutical products associated with other leading providers.
This commitment is intended to preserve customer relationships and maintain continuity across the company’s manufacturing and distribution activities.
Patrick Phelps, co-founder, President, and CEO of SOFIE Biosciences, said the transaction represents an important step in the company’s development as demand for F18 products increases and pipelines for new diagnostic and therapeutic agents continue to expand.
Phelps credited Trilantic North America with supporting the company’s growth, including investments in its manufacturing capabilities and operational scale. He said joining GE HealthCare would allow SOFIE Biosciences to enter its next phase of growth while continuing to focus on improving patient outcomes through radiopharmaceuticals.
Ted Rosenwasser, a partner at Trilantic North America, also welcomed the agreement. He highlighted SOFIE Biosciences’ expansion of its manufacturing network and capabilities during the investment partnership and described GE HealthCare’s experience and global presence as valuable assets for supporting the company’s continued development.
Rosenwasser added that the acquisition could help broaden U.S. patient access to emerging diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.
Financial Benefits and Transaction Outlook
GE HealthCare expects the acquisition to be accretive to revenue growth, adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) margin, and adjusted earnings per share in the first full year of ownership.
The company has agreed to pay $945 million in cash for SOFIE Biosciences. Completion remains subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected during the first half of 2027.
BofA Securities, Consello Financial LLC, and Solomon Partners Securities LLC served as financial advisors to GE HealthCare for the transaction.
The expected financial benefits will depend on the successful completion and integration of the acquisition, as well as the company’s ability to achieve the anticipated operating and commercial objectives.
Strengthening GE HealthCare’s Pharmaceutical Diagnostics Business
GE HealthCare’s Pharmaceutical Diagnostics segment is a global supplier of imaging agents used in medical procedures. The company reported that its imaging agents supported approximately 140 million procedures in 2025, equivalent to around four patient procedures every second.
For more than four decades, GE HealthCare’s imaging agents have been used across healthcare pathways to support diagnostic imaging and clinical decision-making.
The addition of SOFIE Biosciences is expected to complement this established business by expanding U.S. radiopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, strengthening supply capabilities, and increasing exposure to emerging diagnostic and therapeutic products.
The transaction also supports GE HealthCare’s broader strategy of providing solutions across the theranostics pathway, encompassing cyclotrons, imaging technologies, digital workflow tools, and radiotherapeutics infrastructure.
About SOFIE Biosciences
About Trilantic North America
Trilantic Capital Management L.P., known as Trilantic North America, is a growth-focused middle-market private equity firm that makes control and significant minority investments in North America. Its primary investment focus includes business and consumer services.
The firm has managed seven private equity fund families representing $11.6 billion in raised capital commitments since its inception.
GE HealthCare’s planned $945 million acquisition of SOFIE Biosciences represents a strategic expansion of its U.S. PET radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and supply capabilities. The transaction is expected to strengthen final-mile delivery infrastructure, support existing products such as Flyrcado, and provide U.S. rights to the investigational FAPI-74 imaging agent.
By combining SOFIE Biosciences’ manufacturing network with GE HealthCare’s global expertise in pharmaceutical diagnostics, the companies aim to improve supply reliability, support innovation, and broaden access to emerging precision medicine technologies. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.
Source Link:https://www.gehealthcare.com/
