Volpara Health Technologies to Acquire MRS Systems to Advance Personalized Breast Care Solutions

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that Volpara Health Technologies (VHT), the parent company of Volpara Solutions, announced on June 4 that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire U.S.-based MRS Systems (MRS).

Through this acquisition, Volpara will be able to expand its product portfolio and leverage its extensive expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to develop new technologies for delivering personalized breast care services. The merger of MRS and Volpara will provide breast care providers with unique screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic solutions. Volpara remains strictly compliant with ISO 27001 and GDPR data privacy regulations, exploring business opportunities through the integration of technology and data, optimizing workflows, and delivering personalized care to customers.

VHT is a company that develops SaaS-based breast imaging analysis products. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, it was founded in 2009 as a spin-out from research conducted at the University of Oxford. The company is dedicated to providing software platforms that support personalized, high-quality breast cancer screening, thereby reducing breast cancer mortality and treatment costs.

VHT’s products enable early detection of breast cancer. Compatible with commonly used mammography imaging systems from companies such as GE Healthcare, Hologic, Siemens, and Fujifilm, these products help physicians gain a better understanding of their patients, improve clinical decision-making, and enhance work efficiency.

Clinical Screening Application of VHT: VolparaDensity performs volumetric breast density assessment using digital mammography and tomosynthesis data, making it suitable for the majority of breast cancer screening programs. Its enterprise-level software, VolparaEnterprise, is a suite of quantitative breast imaging tools designed for personalized measurements of breast density, patient-specific radiation dose, as well as breast palpation and positioning. By leveraging specialized breast imaging platforms and comprehensive benchmarking analytics, it helps clinics manage their breast imaging operations more effectively. The VolparaLive! system evaluates image quality and provides real-time decision support for healthcare professionals.

VHT has provided technical support and services to clients and research projects in 38 countries, securing numerous patents, trademarks, and regulatory approvals for medical imaging technologies, including FDA clearance and CE marking. Since its listing on the ASX in April 2016, the company completed a total of AUD 40 million in financing in April and May 2018. Volpara Solutions is a wholly-owned subsidiary of VHT.

MRS, established in 1985 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, has developed Aspen, an imaging reporting system that enables paperless workflows between patients and physicians. Through Aspen, physicians can document patient medical histories and risk factors while accessing imaging reports for breast and lung cancer based on modalities such as X-ray, MRI, CT, and ultrasound.

Over the past 25 years, MRS has been dedicated to research in subspecialty radiology applications, such as chest and lung imaging, earning recognition from the radiology community. The company works side by side with radiologists, technologists, administrators, and medical transcriptionists to ensure its products consistently meet the diverse needs of breast care facilities, providing healthcare professionals with a comprehensive platform for patient tracking, communication, and radiology reporting. MRS’s products deliver reliable performance across fixed client sites, remote locations, and mobile mammography applications.

Dr. Ralph Highnam, CEO of Volpara, stated, “We have collaborated with MRS in the breast health industry for many years and are impressed by the caliber of its staff and the quality of its products. Through this merger, both parties will jointly create world-class integrated solutions with a strong customer base, facilitating early diagnosis of breast cancer and delivering faster, more accurate diagnostic results to patients and physicians.”

(Compiled by Tang Lulu)