Philips and Dako Collaboration to Improve Pathology Diagnostics

Royal Philips Electronics (Eindhoven, the Netherlands) and Dako (Glostrup, Denmark), a private Danish company specializing in tissue-based cancer diagnostics, have signed an agreement to integrate a selection of Dako's image analysis applications into Philips' proposed digital pathology solutions.

A fast pathology slide scanner and associated image management system form the basis of Philips' planned integrated solutions for digitizing pathology workflows. The Philips-Dako collaboration will initially focus on leveraging Dako's image analysis software for tissue-based breast cancer diagnosis using its reagents for staining HER2, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), p53, and Ki-67 proteins.

Detection and quantification of proteins in biopsy tissue will help classify breast cancers and select appropriate therapy. Philips and Dako are considering an extension of the collaboration to include image analysis software for immunohistology-based prostate and colon cancer diagnostics.

The aim of the partnership is to enhance the operational efficiency and productivity of pathology departments, as well as increase diagnostic confidence. Digitizing the images that pathologists normally view through a microscope should enable the introduction of objective and quantitative image analysis tools.

Royal Philips Electronics is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through development of new essential products. The company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care, and home healthcare.

Dako is a global leader in tissue-based cancer diagnostics. Laboratories worldwide use Dako's expertise, reagents, instruments, and software to make precise diagnoses and determine the most effective treatment for patients suffering from cancer.

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