Terumo, Olympus Expand U.S. Partnership in Urology, Gastroenterology

Terumo announced on Monday that it finalized a basic agreement with fellow Japanese devicemaker Olympus to expand their U.S. business partnership. The deal stipulates both companies will jointly market urology products in the U.S. and explore opportunities to broaden the types of gastroenterology products sold, an existing area of partnership.

By leveraging each devicemaker’s competitive advantage, the two companies hope to increase sales in the U.S., which is the world’s largest market for medical devices.

Terumo will benefit from Olympus’ marketing in the urology and gastroenterology fields and endoscope manufacture, which holds the highest market share in the U.S. and world. Likewise, Olympus will benefit from Terumo’s guidewire products, including those used in diagnosis and intravascular treatment.

The devicemakers have been developing guidewire for minimally invasive treatment devices during biliary endoscopies since 2009. The companies expect to market urologic devices starting next month and biliary devices later in the year, Terumo said.

Terumo will continue marketing its interventional system products in the U.S., for cardiology, peripheral artery disease and neurovascular disease, separately from Olympus.

For fiscal year 2016, Terumo projects more than $8.3 million in sales through the partnership. — Jason Scott