logo
Affidea Group selects b-rayZ as its preferred AI partner in breast imaging, marking strategic collaboration

Affidea Group selects b-rayZ as its preferred AI partner in breast imaging, marking strategic collaboration

Yahoo30-06-2025
THE HAGUE, The Netherlands, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a strategic move to improve patient outcomes in breast cancer, Affidea, a leading pan-European provider of community-based polyclinics, specialist services and advanced diagnostics, is proud to announce that it has selected b-rayZ, a leader in AI-powered breast imaging solutions, as its preferred AI partner for breast imaging.
Breast cancer diagnostics often face fragmentation, with critical information scattered across different modalities and specialists. This can slow down decision-making and delay life-saving treatments. b-rayZ's AI-powered platform is designed to eliminate these gaps, ensuring a seamless diagnostic pathway that enhances both clinical precision and therapeutic options for women. By choosing b-rayZ as its AI partner, Affidea is taking a decisive step towards making precision medicine a reality, one diagnosis at a time.
The b-rayZ solution is already in use in Affidea Switzerland, at Affidea's Centre of Excellence in Breast Cancer, Brust Zentrum Zurich, as well as at Affidea Givision, Site Hôpital Daler. The technology has also been successfully implemented across other markets such as Affidea Lithuania and Affidea Spain, with further expansions planned in other Affidea countries offering breast imaging services. These early installations reflect the growing momentum and confidence in b-rayZ's ability to standardise and elevate diagnostic quality across diverse clinical environments. By implementing this innovative AI solution, Affidea is reinforcing its commitment to early detection and improved outcomes in breast cancer across Europe.
Affidea has also joined b-rayZ as a strategic investor in their Series A extension equity funding round. This investment marks a significant milestone in b-rayZ's journey and validates their vision and growth strategy. The partnership strengthens b-rayZ's position in the industry and opens up valuable collaboration opportunities to accelerate product development, expand into new markets, and enhance customer offerings.
Cristina Rossi, CEO and founder of b-rayZ, stated: 'At b-rayZ, we are deeply committed to preserving women's health. Every woman's journey through breast cancer diagnosis is unique, and our AI solutions are designed to provide the highest level of diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, tailored to each one's needs. Being selected by Affidea as their preferred AI partner is a testament to our shared vision of transforming breast cancer diagnostics. Affidea's investment in our Series A extension further validates this alignment and fuels our ambition to scale. Through this strategic partnership, we are combining our technological expertise with Affidea's extensive clinical network to ensure that women across Europe receive faster, more precise, and more personalised breast imaging solutions.'
Dr Charles Niehaus, Deputy CEO of Affidea, highlighted the broader strategic impact of the partnership: 'This collaboration with b-rayZ represents more than just the adoption of AI. It is a strategic alliance aimed at redefining breast cancer diagnostics. Together, we plan to deepen our collaboration to further develop the AI solutions, to empower radiologists, optimise clinical workflows, and improve patient care. This partnership – both strategic and financial – positions us in the right direction to accelerate innovation across our network. By integrating AI across our network, we are ensuring that women across Europe receive the most accurate and timely diagnoses possible, tailored to them, reinforcing our mission to set new standards in patient care.'
Dr Alessandro Roncacci, SVP and Chief Medical Officer at Affidea, added: 'Breast imaging is a highly specialised field that requires precision, experience, and the ability to interpret complex data. AI-powered solutions, like those developed by b-rayZ, are revolutionising breast cancer diagnostics by augmenting radiologists' expertise and ensuring greater consistency in detection. Through this partnership, we are integrating AI to enhance our sub-specialty breast imaging, improving diagnostic accuracy, and optimising personalised screening pathways. This marks a significant step forward in delivering earlier diagnoses, reducing variability in interpretations, and ultimately ensuring the best possible clinical outcomes for women across Europe.'
About Affidea GroupAffidea (www.affidea.com) is a leading pan-European provider of specialist healthcare services, including cancer care, community-based polyclinics and advanced diagnostic imaging. Founded in 1991, the company operates over 410 centres across 15 countries, with more than 14 million patient visits every year. Due to its track record for patient safety, the company has become the most awarded diagnostic imaging provider in Europe by the European Society of Radiology (ESR), as over 90% of its centres are recognised on the Eurosafe Wall of Stars by the ESR. Affidea is majority-owned by Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL), a leading investment holding company, focused on long-term value-creation with a stable and supportive family shareholder base.
About b-rayZThe b-rayZ AI solution (www.b-rayz.com) is part of an ever-growing multi-modality platform fully dedicated to breast cancer diagnostics. b-rayZ supports women throughout their diagnostic journey with a tailored ecosystem of solutions driven by clinical needs. With cutting-edge AI technology and years of clinical experience in breast imaging, b-rayZ offers a comprehensive yet easy-to-use solution that provides a comprehensive set of industry-leading AI modules. All of these modules are designed to meet the needs of medical professionals and support the daily work of both medical radiology assistants, radiologists and hospital managers.
Media Contacts
For b-rayZKevin OlbrichMarketing Manager b-rayZ AGkevin.olbrich@b-rayz.ch
For Affidea GroupOana DumitroiuSenior Vice-President Marketing & Communicationoana.dumitroiu@affidea.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cebd6604-6e8e-486c-bc32-bc181b1a9833
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Auna Announces 2Q25 Financial Results
Auna Announces 2Q25 Financial Results

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Auna Announces 2Q25 Financial Results

Adjusted EBITDA increases 5% FXN YoY with all segments contributing positively to quarterly results in their local currency LUXEMBOURG, August 19, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Auna (NYSE: AUNA) ("Auna" or the "Company"), a leading healthcare platform in Latin America with operations in Mexico, Peru, and Colombia, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025 ("second quarter 2025" or "2Q25"). Financial results are expressed in Peruvian Soles ("S/" or PEN") and are presented in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), unless otherwise noted. 2Q25 Consolidated Highlights Consolidated Revenue increased 4% FXN while decreasing 2% YoY on reported basis to S/1,094 million Adjusted EBITDA increased 5% FXN, and decreased 3% YoY to S/241 million Adjusted EBITDA Margin remained flat at 22.1% Adjusted Net Income was S/89 million, up from S/13 million in 2Q24 and S/55 million in 1Q25 Leverage Ratio was 3.6x, in line with 3.6x in 1Q25 Oncology MLR reached a record low level of 49.8% Message from Auna's Executive Chairman and President Auna grew its year-over-year ("YoY") FX-neutral Adjusted EBITDA by 5%, with all three country segments contributing positively to our performance recovery in local currency terms. Despite significant foreign exchange headwinds—particularly the depreciation of the Mexican and Colombian currencies versus the Peruvian Sol— each operation demonstrated resilience to execute its strategy with utmost discipline with the goal of delivering clinical and operational excellence, showcasing the power of our diversified geographic footprint. We continue to build a stronger, more efficient organization, while positioning Auna to effectively seize the near to long-term growth opportunities in Mexico's massive private healthcare market. In Mexico, we have contained and stabilized the adverse effects related to physician/supplier relationships that temper the implementation of the AunaWay, in particular with respect to patient/physician alignment and cost containment for payors. Improvements in pricing and service mix, coupled with continued cost discipline, enabled us to grow EBITDA despite lower surgical volumes. This quarter also marked significant progress on key strategic initiatives in Mexico, including recruitment and integration of lead medical directors and physicians, productivity programs, expansion of the Oncosalud network outside of Monterrey, and selective capital deployment. In Peru, revenue growth across both Oncosalud and our healthcare network was supported by plan membership expansion, further price adjustments, and service volume increases, even as we expanded healthcare capacity. In Colombia, the risk-sharing models we have been implementing since last year are gaining additional traction, while collections commitments from intervened payors have been received on time as of the end of the quarter, reducing the need for impairment provisions as well as improvement in margins and cash flow. Looking ahead, we continue to work on the optimization of our capital structure. We improved our maturity profile and maintained our Leverage Ratio at 3.6x, while continuing to target a medium-term goal of below 3.0x. We are confident that the regional healthcare platform we are building—focused on high-complexity care, integrated care delivery, and disciplined capital allocation—positions Auna for further growth and long-term value for all stakeholders. Overview of 2Q25 Consolidated Results Revenues decreased 2% YoY to S/1,094 million, increasing 4% FXN, with revenues in local currency ("L.C.") increasing 5% in Mexico and 8% in Peru while remaining flat versus 2Q24 in Colombia. In Mexico, healthcare network revenue increased, supported by higher tickets associated with high complexity services and an improved pricing mix in other non-core services. The Peruvian healthcare network benefited from higher demand for surgeries, membership growth, as well as price adjustments. In Colombia, the YoY growth in risk-sharing models supported the top line amidst a reduced service offering for intervened EPSs, the local insurance companies. Adjusted EBITDA decreased 3% YoY, increasing 5% FXN, to S/241 million, with the margin flat at 22.1%. In L.C. terms, Adjusted EBITDA increased 2% in Mexico, 8% in Peru and 9% in Colombia. The increase in FXN Adjusted EBITDA reflects revenue growth in Mexico and Peru, as well as expenses that support growth, including investments in medical talent in Mexico and Peru, and sales commissions at Oncosalud. In Colombia, Adjusted EBITDA, included lower impairment provisions. Additionally, the results in Auna's reporting currency were impacted by a 16% depreciation of MXN versus PEN and 9% depreciation of COP versus PEN. Net finance costs were S/46 million in 2Q25 versus S/182 million in 2Q24. Net finance costs, excluding FX effects, would have been S/115 million in 2Q25 and S/133 million in 2Q24, a decrease of S/18 million or 13%. The FX impact in 2Q25 includes a positive non-cash amount of S/68 million versus a negative S/49 million non-cash FX impact from 2Q24, mainly due to the effect of the appreciation of the Peruvian Sol against the US Dollar outside the range of Auna's call-spread hedge. Net Income was S/84 million in 2Q25 compared to S/8 million in 2Q24. On a per-share basis, Auna reported Net Income of S/1.10, based on a weighted average number of basic and diluted shares of 74,217,754. Adjusted Net Income was S/89 million in 2Q25, versus S/13 million in 2Q24. On a per-share basis, Auna reported Adjusted Net Income of S/1.17, based on a weighted average number of basic and diluted shares of 74,217,754. For a full version of AUNA's Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release, please visit: Conference Call Details When: 8:00 a.m. Eastern time, August 20, 2025 Who: Mr. Suso Zamora, Executive Chairman of the Board and President; Mrs. Gisele Remy, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President; Mr. Lorenzo Massart, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Equity Capital Markets. Dial-in: +1 888 596 4144 (U.S. domestic), +1 646 968 2525 (International)Passcode: 3884034 To access Auna′s financial results call via telephone, callers need to press # to be connected to an operator. Webcast: click here About AUNA Auna is a leading healthcare platform in Latin America with operations in Mexico, Peru, and Colombia, prioritizing prevention and concentrating on high-complexity diseases that contribute the most to healthcare expenditures. Our mission is to transform healthcare by providing access to a highly integrated healthcare offering in the underpenetrated markets of Spanish-Speaking Americas. Founded in 1989, Auna has built one of Latin America′s largest modern healthcare platforms that consists of a horizontally integrated network of healthcare facilities and a vertically integrated portfolio of oncological plans and selected general healthcare plans. As of June 30, 2025, Auna's network included 31 healthcare network facilities, consisting of hospitals, outpatient, prevention and wellness facilities with a total of 2,333 beds, and 1.4 million healthcare plans. For more information visit Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements convey our current expectations or forecasts of future events. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. Forward-looking statements typically are identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "project," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to," or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements that appear in a number of places in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations, regarding various matters, including, our target Leverage Ratio, the near to long-term growth opportunities in Mexico and the creation of further growth and long-term value. Any or all of our forward-looking statements in this press release may turn out to be inaccurate. Our actual results could differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent our expectations and forecasts as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release. For a discussion of the risks facing the Company which could affect whether these forward-looking statements are realized, see our Form 20-F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Financial Guidance Disclaimer Auna′s guidance is based on management's current performance outlook and expected macroeconomic and regulatory conditions in the three countries where the Company operates. Any changes in these conditions could have an impact on the guidance provided. Auna's financial guidance reflects management's current assumptions regarding numerous evolving factors that are difficult to accurately predict, including those discussed in the Risk Factors set forth in the Company's Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Reconciliations of forward-looking non-IFRS measures, specifically Leverage Ratio guidance, to the relevant forward-looking IFRS measures are not being provided, as the Company does not currently have sufficient data to accurately estimate the variables and individual adjustments for such guidance and reconciliations. Due to this uncertainty, the Company cannot reconcile projected Leverage Ratio to projected net income without unreasonable effort. The financial guidance constitutes forward-looking statements. For more information, see the "Forward-Looking Statements" section in this release. View source version on Contacts IR Contact Email: contact@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

QuidelOrtho Welcomes Erich Wolff as Executive Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development
QuidelOrtho Welcomes Erich Wolff as Executive Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

QuidelOrtho Welcomes Erich Wolff as Executive Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- QuidelOrtho Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) (the "Company" or "QuidelOrtho"), a global leader of in vitro diagnostics, welcomes Erich Wolff as Executive Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development. In this role, Mr. Wolff will report directly to President and Chief Executive Officer Brian Blaser, and he will lead the Company's enterprise strategy, business development, government affairs and portfolio management functions. Mr. Wolff brings over two decades of leadership experience in strategy, M&A and business development across the healthcare, diagnostics, and MedTech sectors. Most recently, he served as Buyouts Lead for MedTech and Life Sciences Tools & Diagnostics at Partners Group, a global private equity firm with $174 billion in assets under management. Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles at BD and Medtronic, where he led transformational initiatives spanning corporate strategy, investment planning and inorganic growth. "Erich brings a rare combination of strategic vision, operational rigor and transaction expertise," said Brian Blaser, President and Chief Executive Officer, QuidelOrtho. "His ability to drive complex portfolio decisions and execute high-impact growth strategies will be invaluable as we continue to advance the power of diagnostics for a healthier future." During his tenure at Medtronic, Mr. Wolff played a pivotal role in revitalizing the company's global diabetes business and later assumed expanded responsibility for corporate development across its $11.5 billion neurosciences and diabetes units. At BD, he was instrumental in the spinoff of embecta, as well as the $1.5 billion acquisition of Parata Systems and the divestiture of its Surgical Instrumentation platform. "I'm honored to join QuidelOrtho at such a pivotal time," said Mr. Wolff. "The Company has a compelling vision for the future of diagnostics, a strong global footprint and a culture of innovation. I look forward to working alongside Brian and the leadership team to shape and execute strategies that can accelerate growth and deliver long-term value to our stakeholders." Mr. Wolff holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. QuidelOrtho is dedicated to advancing diagnostics to power a healthier future. For more information, please visit and follow QuidelOrtho on LinkedIn, Facebook and X. About QuidelOrtho Corporation QuidelOrtho Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) is a world leader in in vitro diagnostics, developing and manufacturing intelligent in vitro diagnostics solutions that transform data into understanding and action for more people in more places every day. By offering industry-leading expertise in immunoassay and molecular testing, clinical chemistry and transfusion medicine, QuidelOrtho brings fast, accurate and reliable diagnostics when and where they are needed – from home to hospital, lab to clinic. Building on its long history of innovation, QuidelOrtho works with global healthcare customers to advance diagnostics, where insights and solutions seamlessly connect, illuminating a clearer path for informed decisions. Investor Contact: Juliet Cunningham Vice President, Investor Relations IR@ Media Contact: D. Nikki Wheeler Senior Director, Corporate Communications media@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE QuidelOrtho Corporation Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

OpenAI chairman compares AI to the dot-com boom: There's lots of 'snake oil' but some 'real value being created'
OpenAI chairman compares AI to the dot-com boom: There's lots of 'snake oil' but some 'real value being created'

Business Insider

time15 minutes ago

  • Business Insider

OpenAI chairman compares AI to the dot-com boom: There's lots of 'snake oil' but some 'real value being created'

Within the AI boom — or bubble, as Sam Altman called it at a recent dinner — there will be winners and losers. Some will likely soar like Amazon did out of the dot-com days; others may flounder like In the late 1990s, the stock market reached new heights, propelled by the rise of digital-first companies. The dot-com bubble eventually burst, sending companies like Webvan and into bankruptcy. That era also spawned some of the tech mammoths we still use today, like Amazon and eBay. OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor thinks that era and the AI boom have a lot in common. On the "ACQ2" podcast, he said that the dot-com boom is often remembered only for the companies left in the rubble after the bubble burst. "If you say dot-com, people come back with failures," Taylor said. "If you look at the S&P 500 now and you look at the amount of value from companies created in that, one could argue that actually almost all of the exuberance and hype was totally warranted." 25 years later, some of the " magnificent seven" tech stocks can be traced back to that time period. Amazon went public in 1997 and weathered the dot-com bust; Google was founded during the boom, but didn't go public until after. Some mark Microsoft's 2001 antitrust ruling as the top of the bubble. "It, in fact, did change commerce in fundamental ways," Taylor said. "It did change the financial system in fundamental ways. It changed everything." AI has been buoying the market in a similar way. VCs are pouring billions into AI startups, and Big Tech is investing tens of billions into AI infrastructure, talent, and related capex. In July, Nvidia became the first company to hit a $4 trillion market cap on the back of AI companies' demand for its GPUs. Morgan Stanley recently predicted that AI productivity gains could lead the S&P 500 to gain up to $16 trillion. The market fervor has led some skeptics to call AI a bubble — and compare it to the dot-com era before it. Tech guru Erik Gordon told BI that "more investors will suffer than suffered in the dot-com crash, and their suffering will be more painful." Altman himself compared AI to a bubble at a recent dinner attended by reporters. "When bubbles happen, smart people get overexcited about a kernel of truth," Altman said, according to The Verge. "Are we in a phase where investors as a whole are overexcited about AI? My opinion is yes. Is AI the most important thing to happen in a very long time? My opinion is also yes." "Someone is going to lose a phenomenal amount of money," Altman reportedly said in reference to AI startups comprising "three people and an idea" that receive massive investments. "We don't know who, and a lot of people are going to make a phenomenal amount of money. My personal belief, although I may turn out to be wrong, is that, on the whole, this would be a huge net win for the economy." Taylor takes a similarly positive spin on the bubble question, comparing it to the dot-com boom. He referenced jokes about the word "agentic" being overused. "You have a lot of snake oil," he said. But there are also real, sustainable companies that Taylor predicts will stick around. Unsurprisingly, he pointed to the seismic growth of ChatGPT, which sported 100 million users just over two months after its app launch and remains dominant on the App Store. Taylor also pointed to AI software companies that serve the B2B market, like Lovable, a vibe coding platform for creating apps and websites. "I think there's very real value being created here," he said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store