Daiichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and GE Healthcare have executed a collaboration agreement for the research and development of non-nuclear contrast media. Since Daiichi launched Omnipaque in 1987, a contrast media for x-ray and CT exams, Daiichi has marketed Omniscan, MRI contrast media (launched in 1996) and Visipaque, an x-ray contrast media (launched in 2000) in Japan.
    
In addition to these products licensed to GE Healthcare, the two companies have collaborated on the research and development of non-nuclear contrast media to obtain development candidates since 1988. As a result, Daiichi submitted Sonazoid, an ultrasound contrast media in May 2004 for regulatory approval in Japan.