(Yicai) Oct. 29 -- Siemens Healthineers, a German healthcare equipment manufacturer, signed two cooperation agreements with Chinese companies at an event to mark the third anniversary of its innovation center in Shanghai.

Siemens allied with Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences' Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging on preclinical research of computed tomography spectroscopy cardiovascular imaging, the Erlangen-based firm said yesterday. It also partnered with Shanghai East Hospital, a teaching hospital affiliated to Tongji University, on digital healthcare and artificial intelligence.

Siemens has allied with seven companies from the cardiovascular and neurological diseases and cancer diagnosis and treatment fields since opening the Shanghai Innovation Center, it told Yicai. The center has supported 64 companies in producing 87 intellectual property rights and helped five firms get CNY165 million in social investment, it added.

The cooperation model between multinationals and local Chinese firms will become more deeply integrated in the future, Pu Zhengrong, vice president of Siemens Healthineers China, said to Yicai. Foreign companies can drive business transformation with local medical firms via deep technology integration and take advantage of their flexibility and efficiency to form an influential medical innovation ecosystem, Pu noted.

The Shanghai Innovation Center, jointly built by Siemens and Zhangjiang Group, has also allied with surgical robot startup Maestro Surgical and medical gear maker Double Medical to provide advanced imaging laboratory services for the pair, helping them rapidly develop and iterate in orthopedic robots and surgical navigation.

At the seventh China International Import Expo, which will be held from Nov. 5 through 10 in Shanghai, Siemens will showcase the innovative achievements it has accomplished in collaboration with Chinese companies.

Editor: Martin Kadiev