Dive Brief:
- Samsung Medison will buy Sonio, a company that makes software to assist with fetal ultrasound examinations, the firms announced on Wednesday.
- Samsung Medison will buy all of Sonio’s shares for about 126 billion won ($92.4 million), according to a corporate filing with South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service and Reuters.
- The acquisition will pair Samsung Medison’s ultrasound machines with Sonio’s AI technology, which Samsung Medison CEO Yong Kwan Kim said would “bring a paradigm shift in the prenatal ultrasound exam.”
Dive Insight:
Paris, France-based Sonio was founded in 2020. The company makes software that uses deep learning to help with routine fetal ultrasound examinations. For example, the software can help detect and label ultrasound views, and detect anatomical structures within supported views.
Sonio received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration last year for its Sonio Detect software. The company’s technology is used by 300 care centers across 18 countries, according to its website.
Seoul, Korea-based Samsung Medison makes ultrasound machines and sells Samsung’s X-ray and portable CT machines domestically. Samsung Electronics bought a majority stake in Medison in 2010 for about $262 million, helping the company enter the medtech market.
Sonio CEO Cécile Brosset said in a statement that the planned acquisition “creates an exciting growth opportunity for both sides.”
Sonio said it will ensure its products and services remain compatible with other ultrasound device makers. The company will continue to work as an independent company headquartered in France after the deal closes.
The acquisition is subject to regulatory conditions, including the approval of the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance.