Singapore: Zecotek Photonics, a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for medical, industrial and scientific markets, announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Zecotek Imaging Systems has signed a joint collaboration partnership agreement with Hamamatsu Photonics of Japan to commercialize existing imaging technologies and to collaborate on the upgrade and manufacture of photo detectors, integrated detector modules (IDM) and associated electronics and data acquisition modules for the imaging markets at large.

With approximately $1 billion of annual sales, Hamamatsu is the world's leading supplier of optoelectronics components including photo multiplier tubes and photo-diodes used in positron emission tomography (PET) medical scanners, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) projects and other industrial and scientific applications.

"This agreement represents a pivotal and historic event for Zecotek. With Hamamatsu's strong technological, manufacturing and commercial expertise, our two companies will have the capacity to provide substantial value to the medical imaging and high energy physics industries," said Dr AF Zerrouk, chairman, president, and CEO of Zecotek Photonics.

"Hamamatsu is the world leading developer and supplier of optoelectronics components to PET (Positron Emission Tomography) medical scanner OEM's and manufacturers, to the bio-medical industries, as well as to CERN with whom they have a very close and long term relationship. By combining our efforts, we can accelerate the commercialization of Zecotek's imaging technologies for the medical, industrial and research applications. I have full confidence in the ability of Hamamatsu's management and technical team to create key value in this very welcomed relationship," Dr Zerrouk added.

"We are very pleased to join forces and provide added value to Zecotek's imaging technologies," said Mr Koei Yamamoto, general managing director, Hamamatsu Photonics. "We will use our well established R&D, technological and manufacturing expertise to strengthen Zecotek's existing technological results and products. We believe this to be a powerful and symbiotic relationship," he added.

The agreement combines the strengths of both organizations into a collaborative program, whereby Zecotek's patented and patent pending imaging technologies can benefit from the technological expertise and marketing capabilities of Hamamatsu. Hamamatsu will take over the manufacturing and marketing of most of Zecotek's proprietary imaging technologies, including the commercialization of LFS crystals, solid-state MAPD photo detectors and any other photo-detector variants innovated by Zecotek. Hamamatsu becomes the exclusive sales channel for Zecotek' patented protected LFS scintillation crystal and future generations of the scintillation material. Hamamatsu will take the lead on the technological enhancement, large-scale manufacturing and marketing of all Zecotek's imaging technologies.

Zecotek and Hamamatsu will establish a joint program to improve existing versions of photo-detectors and imaging modules, for immediate commercialization and develop new innovative ones for future markets. Both parties will retain full ownership to all their respective patents and intellectual property brought into the collaboration. The manufacturing and commercialization of existing and new technologies will be performed by Hamamatsu.