Bayer acquires Blackford Analysis to bolster radiology portfolio

“Adding Blackford and its AI technology to our radiology portfolio secures Bayer an excellent position in the fastest growing segment within the overall global radiology industry,” said Stefan Oelrich, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG and President of Bayer’s Pharmaceutical Division. “This acquisition complements our comprehensive radiology portfolio and nourishes our engagement to drive innovation in digital health. We are pleased to join forces with Blackford and their exceptional team to optimally utilize our combined expertise in healthcare technology with the aim to deliver true value to radiologists and their teams for the benefit of their patients.”

Blackford, which has a presence in the United Kingdom and the United States, provides infrastructure and access to a clinical application (ClinApp) ecosystem focused on imaging and analytics. The acquisition follows a development and license agreement between both companies in 2020 that laid the foundation for Bayer’s recently launched medical imaging platform, Calantic Digital Solutions. Building on technology from Blackford and adding additional workflow and analytics components, Calantic Digital Solutions delivers access to applications, including those enabled by AI, for medical imaging.

Blackford will continue to operate as an independent organization on an arm’s length basis to preserve its entrepreneurial culture. The company will remain accountable to advance its technology, channel partnerships and ClinApp portfolio while benefiting from the experience, infrastructure and reach of Bayer as a global pharmaceutical company. The acquisition is expected to close later this year, pending the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

“Blackford exists to improve the lives of patients and populations by unlocking the adoption and benefits of medical imaging AI. We investigated many routes to scale our business to deliver our mission and were delighted by Bayer’s invitation to deepen our partnership, whilst continuing to operate independently based on Bayer’s well-established arm’s length model,” said Ben Panter, Chief Executive Officer, Blackford Analysis. “Combining our knowledge and experience as one of the leading platform providers in the industry with Bayer’s advanced radiology portfolio will enable us to provide solutions to deliver ongoing clinical value to radiologists and their teams.”

The overall global medical imaging AI field with sales of more than USD 400 million in 2021 is expected to continue growing dynamically, with an estimated compounded annual growth rate of more than 26 percent (2020 to 2026) reaching USD 1.36 billion by 2026. Innovation powered by AI is needed more than ever. Aging populations and changing lifestyles are leading to an increase in chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Consequently, the demand for medical imaging to detect diseases, guide treatment decisions and support therapy planning is growing. AI comes with the value proposition to aid diagnosis and increase the throughput of radiological examinations.