Singapore: Mauna Kea Technologies, leader in the optical biopsy market and developer of Cellvizio, which the fastest way to see cancer, announced that it has entered an exclusive distribution agreement in Japan with Amco for a five-year period. This partnership further strengthens Mauna Kea Technologies' ties with the Japanese market, and is a major step forward in the company's efforts to obtain regulatory approval in the world's second largest endoscopy device market after the US.

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) requires foreign medical device companies to have a physical presence within the country or define a partnering distributor prior to approving a device for commercial sale.

"We believe that, once approved in Japan, Cellvizio will have a significant impact on the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of many of the most pervasive digestive diseases affecting the Japanese people, particularly stomach, colorectal, biliary and pancreatic cancers," said Mr Akihiro Koshikawa, president & CEO, Amco. "There is a significant market for Cellvizio technology in Japan, as it corresponds very well to the advanced nature of the endoscopy practice in the country. We're excited to work with Mauna Kea Technologies and to make Cellvizio available to a wide array of physicians and patients in Japan once Cellvizio is approved."

Amco has more than 60 years of experience as a medical device distributor and is deeply rooted in Japan with eight regional offices across the country, and has nearly 150 employees, of which 85 are sales people. Furthermore, Amco has a strong focus in Mauna Kea Technologies' main indications: gastroenterology, pulmonology and urology.

"After the first installations at two leading medical research institutions earlier this year, this is the second major milestone we have achieved in the Japanese endoscopy market," said Mr Sacha Loiseau, PhD, CEO of Mauna Kea Technologies. "We are both happy and proud to establish a long-term partnership with a leading company such as Amco in what should become a very important market in the world for Cellvizio."