During the live broadcast from its production facility in Moscow, GE Healthcare's Region General Manager for Russia & CIS, Vyacheslav Grischenko, the General Director of Russian Technologies' Biotechprom Division, P.S. Kanygin and the President of MTL, A.R. Dabagov, described the advantages and the potential cost savings to Russia of local production of high-tech medical equipment.

Russia's first locally-assembled GE Healthcare BrightSpeed Elite 16-slice CT is the result of a strategic partnership between GE Healthcare and MTL signed in November 2009, marking the start of domestic 16-slice CT assembly in Russia. As a result, Russia's first domestically assembled 16-slice CT was installed in Moscow City Clinical Hospital #67 in April 2010, where the unit has since scanned thousands of patients.

A further 8 units have since been assembled at the facility, which has a capacity of up to 200 CT scanners per year. In 2011 the facility is expected to assemble more than 50 16-slice CTs, with plans to produce 100 units in 2012.

Domestic CT assembly in Russia is expected to significantly reduce the cost of procurement for the Russian market. The price of a 16-slice CT assembled by the partnership in Russia is expected to be between 20 million and 25 million rubles, depending on configuration.

L.S.Kanygin, General Director of OJSC RT-Biotechprom said: "The proposed joint venture with GE is expected to establish cooperation between partners in relation to the production and sales of CT and MR scanners, ultrasound units and other high-tech medical equipment within the Russian Federation."

Vyacheslav Grischenko, Region General Manager for Russia & CIS, GE Healthcare, said: "Over the last years the medical equipment market in Russia has undergone dramatic changes. Currently all the prerequisites for modern domestic production, innovation in healthcare and greater market openness have been established. We encourage this and will continue large-scale localization in Russia, developing partnerships with local players and expanding our educational programs."

MTL's President A.R. Dabagov said: "Our cooperation with GE Healthcare is our strategic priority, aimed at developing local production of high-tech diagnostic medical equipment in Russia. Our first product is a 16-slice CT. MTL's experience as a leading Russian manufacturer combined with world class GE Healthcare technologies is the basis for the success of the project."

Today there are more than 100 16-slice GE Healthcare CT units installed in Russia, and nearly one million Russian patients undergo examination in GE Healthcare scanners every year. According to industry estimates, today's total demand for CTs in Russia is in excess of 3,000 units to meet the needs of the Russian federal programs targeted at reducing mortality from cardiovascular disease, stroke and traffic accidents.

Related news articles:

• GE Healthcare's Profile

About GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.

Our "healthymagination" vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality and efficiency around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a $16 billion unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employs more than 46,000 people committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries.

About GE in Russia
GE, which has been operating in Russia since the early 20th century starting with the Soviet Union's electrification and sale of locomotives and oil and gas equipment, is today represented across the country in multiple industries: healthcare, transportation, aviation, electric power, oil and gas, water treatment, financial services, media, appliances, lighting and intelligent platforms. With a head office in Moscow, GE has 2,500 employees.

About Medical Technologies Ltd CJSC (MTL)
Medical Technologies Ltd CJSC (MTL), one of Russia's leading developers and manufacturers of medical equipment, has been successfully operating in the Russian market since 1997. The company produces the full range of modern radiology equipment being a leader in the field of mammography systems and x-ray imaging as well as medical information technology. About 3,000 MTL equipment items are operating in the hospitals of Moscow and Russian regions. Medical Technologies Ltd CJSC is the leading equipment supplier within the framework of Russian Top-priority Healthcare Project. Medical Technologies Ltd CJSC has 2 branches and more than 70 of Authorizes Service Centers in the most RF regions.

About Russian Technologies State Corporation
Russian Technologies SC was set up in accordance with the Federal Law of the Russian Federation on Nov. 23, 2007. Russian Technologies State Corporation's goal is to assist in the development, production and export of high-tech industrial products by providing support, both on the domestic and foreign markets, to Russian companies involved in the development and production of high-tech industrial products, and by attracting investments to organizations in various industries.