Philips has signed a long-term research partnership agreement with the West China Hospital, an affiliate of the Sichuan University in Chengdu, China.

Under the seven-year agreement, Philips will collaborate with West China Hospital to develop new medical imaging procedures such as such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) for the diagnosis and monitoring of certain types of cardiovascular disease including coronary artery disease - a major disease in China - cancer and mental diseases.

According to Rick Harwig, CTO of Royal Philips Electronics, with 5,000 beds and two million outpatients, West China Hospital is one of the largest and most technologically advanced hospitals in China and is a perfect partner for Philips. "I am convinced that the results of the joint research program will enable us to strengthen our support capabilities and to refine our products to meet the specific needs of medical facilities in China," says Harwig.

Philips is consistently strengthening its position in the fast-growing Chinese healthcare market, which is a key element of the company's increased focus on emerging markets. In addition to investing in developing innovative healthcare solutions for the future, Philips is committed to helping improve the wellbeing of people today across the globe including China.

The new partnership reflects the company's ambition for its research centers to become an R&D hub for emerging markets based in China. Philips has also established a joint research laboratory within the Institute of Health Sciences in Shanghai to conduct advanced research in molecular medicine and shift towards creating personalized treatment for patients.

As well as investing in developing innovative healthcare solutions for the future, Philips is committed to helping improve the wellbeing of people today across the globe including in emerging markets such as China. Last month Philips announced a new $30 million plus contract with Ascent Profit, a leading Chinese medical equipment wholesaler, to deliver advanced imaging technology to patients across the country to bring digital radiography systems to hospitals in China. This is the continuation of a similar agreement made in 2007 and strengthens Philips' position in the fast-growing Chinese healthcare market. It will enable hospitals across the country to benefit from advanced imaging capabilities and the efficiency of digital workflows, especially those in less developed rural areas.

Philips' Clinical Research Program in the US has been very successful. The program includes more than 30 clinical collaborations, and as part of these agreements, researchers from Philips are stationed at many of these sites. A successful example is the research that Philips has been conducting in collaboration with NIH in the field of image guidance technologies for prostate biopsies.

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