GE HealthCare has announced a definitive agreement to acquire SOFIE Biosciences, a leading U.S.-based contract manufacturing organization (CMO) for PET radiopharmaceuticals, from Trilantic North America for a purchase price of USD 945 million paid in cash.

The deal, announced on October 5, 2026, is expected to close in the first half of 2027, subject to closing conditions including regulatory approvals. Upon completion, SOFIE Biosciences will become part of GE HealthCare's Pharmaceutical Diagnostics (PDx) segment.

Establishing a 'final mile' footprint

The acquisition establishes a footprint for GE HealthCare in the time-critical 'final mile' of the U.S. PET radiopharmaceutical supply while enabling PDx to participate in other high-growth areas outside its own product portfolio.

SOFIE Biosciences brings a U.S. network of 15 CMO sites operating 21 cyclotrons, along with a theranostics-focused Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) site.

According to the company, the acquisition broadens GE HealthCare's footprint in the U.S. radiopharmaceutical industry, drives reliable patient access to novel radiopharmaceuticals, and further enables GE HealthCare to provide solutions along every step of the theranostics pathway, from cyclotrons to imaging technology, digital workflow tools, and radiotherapeutics infrastructure.

Strategic rationale

Kevin O'Neill, President & CEO of the PDx segment at GE HealthCare, said the PET radiopharmaceutical market is expanding rapidly with the introduction of innovative radiotracers and advances in precision care, including the growing adoption of targeted therapies.

As part of GE HealthCare, SOFIE Biosciences is expected to grow in the low double digits, according to O'Neill, and will enable the company to participate across the radiopharmaceutical value stream, meeting customer demand through a mix of GE HealthCare-owned and partner facilities.

"SOFIE Biosciences has a highly skilled team with deep expertise serving U.S. customers, including manufacturing our Flyrcado (flurpiridaz F18 injection) product," O'Neill said. "We will leverage our scale and expertise in radiopharmaceutical manufacturing across the U.S., Europe, and Japan to further invest in and grow SOFIE Biosciences, helping improve patient access, strengthen reliability of supply, and support the next generation of precision care products."

About the PET radiopharmaceutical market

PET radiopharmaceuticals are used in precision medicine to visualize metabolic and molecular activity and, increasingly, to deliver targeted therapies across a range of disease areas.

F18 labeled PET radiopharmaceuticals have a 110-minute half-life, and PET CMOs play a crucial role in enabling timely and reliable patient access to both existing and pipeline products.

Industry-wide, the radiopharmaceutical pipeline is growing rapidly, with approximately 20 PET radiotracers and more than 30 radiotherapeutics currently under development.

FAPI-74 rights

The acquisition provides GE HealthCare U.S. rights to FAPI-74, SOFIE Biosciences' Phase III F18 Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor (FAPI) asset, for which GE HealthCare already holds outside-of-U.S. rights.

Described as a Phase III pipeline PET radiotracer with pan-cancer imaging potential, FAPI is positioned to be among the first-to-launch in a large and fast-growing market.

According to the announcement, FAPI has the potential to further expand an already fast-growing global PET imaging market and is showing strong potential for diagnostic and theranostic use across a range of oncologic and non-oncologic indications.

Continuity for customers and partners

Following the transaction close, SOFIE Biosciences will continue to operate as an independent manufacturing partner to its customers, supplying its existing product portfolio, including products from other leading radiopharmaceutical providers.

Similarly, GE HealthCare's PDx segment will continue to partner with other established CMOs to drive and expand patient access to its radiopharmaceutical portfolio.

GE HealthCare said it will continue to drive and expand access to its existing proprietary F18 radiopharmaceutical products while advancing its pipeline of new products, both through SOFIE Biosciences and PDx's other established CMO partners across the U.S.

Leadership perspectives

Patrick Phelps, SOFIE Biosciences co-founder, President & CEO, said that as demand continues to increase for F18 products and pipelines for new diagnostics and therapeutics continue to expand, joining GE HealthCare marks an exciting step in the company's journey as a leading U.S. CMO.

"With Trilantic North America's support, we have significantly expanded our capabilities and scale, and we share GE HealthCare's ambition to improve patient outcomes by delivering on the promise of radiopharmaceuticals as we look ahead to our next phase of growth," Phelps said.

Ted Rosenwasser, Partner at Trilantic North America, said the firm is incredibly proud of what Phelps and the SOFIE Biosciences team accomplished during their partnership.

According to Rosenwasser, SOFIE Biosciences grew significantly during that period, investing in its network and manufacturing capabilities to help meet growing demand and enable increased and reliable patient access to critical products.

About the parties

GE HealthCare, traded on Nasdaq under the ticker GEHC, announced the transaction from Chicago, Illinois. SOFIE Biosciences is a U.S.-based CMO for PET radiopharmaceuticals and has been owned by Trilantic North America, a private equity firm.

The announcement notes that the company has manufactured Flyrcado (flurpiridaz F 18 injection), a GE HealthCare product.

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