Agilent Technologies and Hamamatsu Photonics Establish Distribution Agreement for Digital Pathology Scanners

Agilent Technologies announced a distribution agreement with Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., integrating Hamamatsu's NanoZoomer slide scanning systems into Agilent's digital pathology solutions. This move aims to provide an end-to-end digital pathology offering designed to accelerate advancements in precision medicine.

The partnership addresses the growing pressures on pathology labs, including managing increased patient and test volumes with fewer pathologists and the rise of remote work. The integration of Hamamatsu's high-speed scanners, which convert glass slides into high-resolution digital data, seeks to enhance workflow efficiency and facilitate remote analysis.

Agilent stated that its digital pathology workflow, now enhanced with Hamamatsu's scanning capabilities, is designed to be open and compatible with other technologies and laboratory information systems (LIS). This flexibility allows labs to adopt a scalable, future-proof technology that supports their growth and evolving requirements.

"This distribution agreement strengthens Agilent’s open and agnostic end-to-end digital pathology offering and demonstrates our commitment to providing superior digital pathology solutions for our customers," said Lou Welebob, vice president and general manager of Agilent’s Pathology division. Hamamatsu highlighted that their NanoZoomer Slide scanner digital pathology product line aims to revolutionize the diagnostic process by enabling fast turnaround times and more efficient workflows globally.

Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. is a known provider of whole slide imaging systems and related optical technologies. The company recently received FDA 510(k) clearance for marketing its scanners in the United States.