Omnyx licenses Olympus digital pathology patents

Olympus America Inc. has signed a nonexclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Omnyx, LLC, a joint venture of GE Healthcare and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The agreement will give Omnyx access to a portfolio of Olympus America virtual microscopy and digital pathology patents, which will aid the development of future imaging and data handling technologies for the review and management of millions of biopsy slides and other pathology specimens now handled using glass slides and traditional optical microscopes.

The patents cover software and technology related to creating, storing and delivering virtual microscopy images. Virtual microscope slides enable biopsies and other pathology images to be viewed without handling traditional glass slides, and allow doctors to share high-resolution digital microscope images over the Internet for remote pathology consultation. Virtual microscope slide technology also has the potential to aid hospitals in moving to comprehensive patient electronic medical records.