Bayer AG

Photonova Spectra has potential applications across a range of clinical areas, including neurology, oncology, musculoskeletal imaging, thoracic imaging and cardiology. Credit: GE HealthCare This week's top stories include J&J's menopause-eye health link, the UK's AI healthcare regulations, GE's HealthCare's CT technology and Bayer's Ohio site 1. Johnson & Johnson, AOA Reveal Menopause Eye Health Gap October marks the beginning of global Menopause Awareness Month, a moment dedicated to recognising the effects menopause has on billions of lives, careers and overall health. But despite advocacy efforts, many common menopause symptoms receive improper recognition – leading women to overlook signs of healthcare decline and delay treatment. Following a global study conducted with Ipsos, Johnson & Johnson has revealed findings that indicate menopausal women fail to recognise optical health decline as a symptom of midlife hormonal changes. Of the women surveyed, 60% did not consider that changes to their vision could be related to menopause. 82% confirmed they had not pursued optometric care for issues like irritated eyes and blurred vision. "These findings highlight a broader issue in women’s health. Too often, important aspects of health and healthy aging can be overlooked or addressed in isolation,” says Teri K. Geist, President of the American Optometric Association (AOA). "We’re thrilled to collaborate with Johnson & Johnson to bring greater awareness to this often-overlooked connection and help make eye health a more routine part of the conversation around women’s lifelong health.” 2. UK Government Backs Plan for Healthcare AI Regulation The National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare’s report was led by a team of NHS doctors and involved an extensive public consultation process. Credit: Getty Images The UK Government has accepted all 44 recommendations from the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, following the publication of its report on 10 September 2026. Outlining how medical AI regulation should evolve across UK healthcare, the report followed an extensive public consultation process involving more than 12,000 clinicians and patients. The National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare is an advisory body established by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA ) to review current regulations and provide recommendations for a regulatory framework for AI in healthcare. Commenting on the UK Government’s acceptance of the recommendations, Lawrence Tallon, the MHRA’s CEO, says: “The independent National AI Commission, led by NHS doctors, has given us a clear and ambitious blueprint for how we make the UK the best place to get AI products to patients safely, quickly and in a way that maintains public trust. “I am pleased that today the Government is accepting its recommendations in full, whilst setting out a clear plan and oversight structure to deliver them.” 3. Inside GE HealthCare’s Photon-Counting CT Technology The Photonova Spectra combines ultra-high definition anatomical imaging with spectral information. Credit: GE HealthCare In its latest regulatory win, GE HealthCare has secured a CE Mark for Photonova Spectra, which indicates that a product meets high safety, health and environmental protection requirements for sale within the European Economic Area (EEA). Photonova Spectra is the company’s photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) system powered by proprietary Deep Silicon detector technology. The regulatory milestone follows US FDA 510(k) clearance and Japanese regulatory approval earlier in 2026, paving the way for commercial activities and wider access to the technology across EEA markets. Photonova Spectra is designed to combine ultra-high-definition anatomical imaging with spectral information, giving clinicians additional data from CT examinations. For Chad Rowland, Executive Director of Global CT at GE HealthCare, the significance of the technology lies in the additional information it could provide when conventional CT images leave clinical questions unanswered. “Today, clinicians can often see an abnormality on a CT image but may not have enough information to determine what they’re seeing,” Chad says. “In complex cases, it can be difficult to distinguish between materials or identify subtle tissue differences. "PCCT is designed to address that challenge by capturing both high-resolution anatomical detail and spectral information in the same acquisition,” he explains. 4. Bayer to Invest US$2.2bn in Ohio Manufacturing Facility An illustration of the proposed Bayer manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio. Credit: Bayer The US is set for another multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical manufacturing facility after Bayer announced it will begin constructing a US$2.2bn “flexible, modular campus” in New Albany, Ohio. Bayer ’s latest investment builds on more than US$7bn invested in US pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing over the last five years. A slew of other pharmaceutical giants have pledged similar investments into the US manufacturing ecosystem in 2025 and 2026, including Bristol Myers Squibb , Eli Lilly , Pfizer and Roche . Commenting on the planned facility, Bayer’s Global Chief Operating Officer Sebastian Guth writes on LinkedIn: “This new site is the next step in our journey, expanding Bayer’s capacity to manufacture high-quality medicines at scale and closer to the patients who need them." He continues: “I see this investment from both a US and global perspective: It strengthens our presence in one of Bayer’s most important growth markets while helping us bring our next generation of medicines to patients around the world.” 5. Sanofi and Regeneron Confirm US$8bn Partnership Renewal Sanofi and Regeneron ’s partnership is well-established and highly productive, having delivered one of the pharmaceutical industry’s biggest success stories in Dupixent. The blockbuster anti-inflammatory drug used by millions across the globe is used to treat a range of conditions, including eczema, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Now, the companies are renewing their long-standing collaboration, with hopes of building on their track record in immunology. The renewal involves US$1bn in upfront payments to Regeneron, alongside up to US$7bn in milestone-related payments. Regeneron is a US biotechnology company developing medicines across immunology, oncology , cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and genetic medicine. Commenting on the partnership on LinkedIn, Sanofi CEO Belén Garijo says, “What started 20 years ago as a bold bet has become one of the most productive partnerships in our industry. Together, we have transformed how we treat diseases driven by type 2 inflammation and built a world-leading immunology business in the process. “What excites me most is that we are not resting on that achievement. We are doubling down to deliver therapies that will matter deeply to patients living with immune-mediated diseases and to build a pipeline that will define our future.” Company portals American Optometric Association Bayer GE Healthcare Johnson & Johnson Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Sanofi UK Government Executives Belén Garijo CEO Chad Rowland Executive Director, Global CT Lawrence Tallon Chief Executive Officer Sebastian Guth Worldwide Chief Operating Officer Bayer Pharmaceuticals & President Bayer U.S. Teri Geist, O.D. President

Acquisition of the AI imaging orchestration pioneer expands Sopris Capital's healthcare technology platform and reinforces its commitment to end-to-end, AI-enabled patient care MIAMI, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sopris Capital, a multi-strategy investment firm with a deep and growing portfolio of healthcare technology companies, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Blackford Analysis from Bayer. Blackford is a pioneer in AI orchestration for medical imaging, with its platform deployed by leading original equipment manufacturers and hospitals across various world markets. Sopris is in the process of combining Blackford under one of Sopris's top performing portfolio companies, Azra AI, and this next step is expected to be completed in the coming days/weeks. Blackford will continue to operate as a separate legal entity following the combination with operations in Scotland and the United States and will continue to serve its existing OEM partners and health system customers with no disruption to current deployments or operations. Once this combination is completed, a further announcement will be made. Founded in 2010, Blackford launched the industry's first AI orchestration platform in 2016 and has since become a trusted infrastructure partner for radiology departments seeking to evaluate, deploy, and manage AI imaging applications at scale. The Blackford Platform has a portfolio of more than 130 AI applications from over 45 partner vendors, giving health systems a single, vendor-neutral way to bring best of breed AI into the imaging workflow without disrupting existing operations. Azra AI, is a leading healthcare AI platform built to identify, connect, and manage patients with cancer and other complex illnesses across the care journey, and ensures they stay on the right path from suspicion through survivorship — Blackford's capabilities allow Azra AI to go even further upstream with their customers with any AI imaging algorithm. The addition of Blackford reflects Sopris Capital's continued investment in AI-enabled healthcare technology and its broader thesis around supporting more connected, longitudinal patient care. "Blackford has spent over a decade building the infrastructure that healthcare AI depends on, and this acquisition reflects our conviction in that vision," said Abinav Sankar, Managing Partner at Sopris Capital. "As we continue to build out a healthcare technology portfolio focused on connected, longitudinal patient care, Blackford gives us a critical foothold at the very beginning of that journey, the moment an image is captured and analyzed. Combining with Azra AI, we are positioning our portfolio to support patients from first scan through survivorship." "Joining Sopris Capital creates an exciting opportunity to accelerate Blackford's growth and extend the reach of our platform," said James Holroyd, Blackford Managing Director. "With Sopris's support and complementary healthcare technology portfolio, we can both broaden and deepen our work with customers, channel partners and AI vendors while continuing to make the adoption of medical imaging AI simpler, scalable and more effective." The acquisition marks Sopris Capital's latest step in building a healthcare technology portfolio focused on the future of AI-enabled patient care. About Sopris Capital Sopris Capital is a multi-strategy investment firm with long-term strategic capital, giving it the flexibility and agility to act quickly and deploy its knowledge, networks, and expertise in support of its portfolio companies. Sopris Capital partners closely with management teams to accelerate growth and create long-term value. With more than two decades of experience, Sopris Capital invests across venture capital, private equity, and real estate, with a concentrated focus on healthcare services, healthcare technology, and technology-enabled B2B businesses. The firm maintains a deep portfolio of healthcare technology companies, including Azra AI. Sopris Capital has offices in Colorado and Florida. For more information, visit sopriscapital.com. About Blackford Analysis Founded in 2010, Blackford Analysis is a pioneer in AI orchestration for medical imaging. The Blackford Platform enables healthcare organizations to evaluate, deploy, manage, and support AI imaging applications at enterprise scale. Blackford's technology is deployed by leading original equipment manufacturers and hospitals across various world markets, helping radiology departments improve diagnostic confidence, streamline workflows, and expand access to AI without disrupting existing clinical operations. For more information, visit blackfordanalysis.com. Media Contact: Abinav Sankar [email protected] SOURCE Sopris Capital 21% more press release views with Request a Demo

About six months after Japanese drugmaker Asahi Kasei bought Aicuris for about €780 million, the treatment at the centre of the takeout has won FDA approval. The US regulator on Friday cleared Hovilpri (pritelivir), a helicase primase inhibitor, to treat immunocompromised patients who have mucocutaneous lesions caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) that don't respond to standard-of-care therapies like acyclovir, valacyclovir or famciclovir.Asahi Kasei had proposed to acquire Aicuris in February, a few months after the latter reported that Hovilpri succeeded in the Phase III PRIOH-1 study involving 102 immunocompromised participants with HSV. Those in the experimental treatment arm received a loading dose of 400 mg on the first day of treatment followed by 100 mg each subsequent day until all lesions were healed, while the comparator group received investigator's choice of foscarnet, cidofovir or imiquimod.At day 28, patients taking Hovilpri achieved a lesion healing rate of 62.7%, a statistically significant result compared with the 34% healing rate seen with standard therapies. At the time, Aicuris said statistical superiority in lesion healing increased in patients receiving up to 42 days of treatment. The German company, founded in 2006 as a spin-off from Bayer, is also known for developing Prevymis (letermovir), a cytomegalovirus prevention therapy marketed by Merck & Co.After announcing its acquisition plans, Asahi said it will leverage its US transplant-centre channel and renal disease network to speed commercialisation of Hovilpri and future assets.