GE HealthCare Eindhoven: leading the way in diagnostics for neurodegenerative diseases, and beyond…

Company
GE HealthCare
Location
Eindhoven

Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS are all conditions characterized by the progressive degeneration or damage of nerve cells in the brain or nervous system. Early diagnosis of such neurodegenerative diseases is crucial for improving patients’ quality of life and slowing disease progression. GE HealthCare Eindhoven specializes in developing nuclear diagnostic tools for the early detection of disease.

Yet their ambitions don’t end there. The company aims to offer innovative diagnostic solutions across the three major medical specializations: oncology, cardiology, and neurology. For GE HealthCare, the Brabant region remains a strategic location, closely monitored by the Brabant Development Agency (BOM).

For many diseases, early-stage diagnosis is critical to initiating timely and appropriate treatments, particularly in conditions like Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. However, neurological disorders often share similar symptoms, making accurate diagnosis challenging. The founders of Cygne, the precursor to today’s GE HealthCare Eindhoven, focused specifically on developing diagnostics with added value.

“Cygne started in 1981 as a graduation project by five students at Eindhoven University of Technology,” explains Michel van Gompel, Managing Director of GE HealthCare Eindhoven for the past three years. “They explored how to produce short-lived radioactive isotopes using a cyclotron, a circular particle accelerator on campus. Their breakthrough in stabilizing certain isotopes enabled precise medical imaging, a significant advancement for diagnostics and nuclear medicine.”

In 1996, Cygne was acquired by Amersham Health, which needed additional capital for further research and development that the smaller company could not raise independently. In 2004, the company became part of General Electric (GE), a multinational American corporation with over 46,000 employees worldwide. GE separated into three independent companies in January 2023, resulting in GE HealthCare becoming an independent entity.

The Eindhoven facility produces radioactive products for nuclear diagnostic patient examinations. Additionally, GE HealthCare Netherlands provides hospitals with ready-to-use injectable solutions through its pharmacy service model. The company also acts as a wholesaler for diagnostic applications in X-ray, MRI, and ultrasound.

Brabant as a strategic hub

After more than 40 years, Brabant remains the perfect location for GE HealthCare. “Our flagship product is a radioactive agent used in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, among others. Once injected, the absorption of the radioactive substance is visualized in medical scans,” says Harald Leenders, Facility and Technical Operations Manager at GE HealthCare Eindhoven.

This process is complex, as Leenders explains: “The radioactivity in the pharmaceutical rapidly decays. This is beneficial, as it minimizes the radiation dose for patients. However, for production and distribution, it means racing against the clock. Depending on the product, we have a maximum of 48 hours between production and patient administration. If production is delayed, patients might be unable to undergo scans that day, potentially making their hospital visit pointless.”

Each vial is produced upon request, triggering a meticulously orchestrated logistical operation immediately. With requests arriving from hospitals worldwide, flawless coordination is essential. Missing a flight means a patient might not receive timely care.

Hence, a strategic production location is vital, making Eindhoven ideal for GE HealthCare, given its central position and excellent infrastructure. Major airports, such as Liège, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Amsterdam, are all reachable within two hours. “The time pressure is immense, but everyone involved knows why we do it,” says Leenders. “Behind every vial is a patient. Our products contribute to accurate diagnosis and optimal patient care—and that’s something we’re proud of.”

Local collaboration

GE HealthCare operates within a robust network, collaborating closely with distribution and logistics partners, both locally and internationally. “Firstly, there’s TU Eindhoven. We’re based on campus and utilize their cyclotron, essential for producing our radioactive isotopes,” says Leenders.

“Moreover, many of our employees are TU/e alumni. Fontys moving onto the TU/e campus is also beneficial. Additionally, many Brabant companies specialize in technology, logistics, and distribution. Given our demanding production and logistics requirements, having dependable partners is crucial.”

Harald Leenders, Facility and Technical Operations Manager at GE HealthCare Eindhoven.

Exploring the CEO system

Since its establishment, GE HealthCare has consistently focused on growth. What started as a student project has evolved into an international company employing over 220 people in Eindhoven alone. Currently, around 100,000 patients globally receive radioactive diagnostic products from GE HealthCare Eindhoven each year.

Continued growth

“Growth remains a key priority,” says Van Gompel. “Increasing our visibility would help significantly. Since the pandemic, talent competition has intensified. While hospitals and supply-chain partners are familiar with us, attracting suitable new employees remains challenging due to our specific skill requirements. Many talented individuals choose hospitals or larger, more recognizable pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. That’s unfortunate, because in addition to meaningful work, GE HealthCare offers excellent career growth opportunities and a robust social responsibility program, including charity events to give back to society.”

To increase brand recognition, GE HealthCare Eindhoven seeks greater collaboration with other Brabant-based companies. “For years, we’ve largely operated independently within our parent company’s ecosystem. However, collaboration with like-minded organizations is increasingly valuable. Within the Brabant Life Sciences & Health ecosystem, we’re somewhat unique. We’re now exploring the Brainport network to better position ourselves and strengthen the pharmaceutical sector regionally. BOM plays a critical role here, connecting us with relevant stakeholders and initiatives like the Pharma Delta alliance and the Medical Isotopes Innovation Mission NL-UK,” Van Gompel adds.

Ambitious plans ahead

GE HealthCare is currently constructing a second production facility in Eindhoven, scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2027. This facility will feature a second cyclotron and three additional production lines. “Looking forward, we aim to increasingly support high-quality diagnostics in oncology, cardiology, and neurology,” says Van Gompel. “Some diagnostic medicines require short-lived radioactive isotopes, others longer-lived substances with lifespans ranging from one to 78 hours. Currently, we produce all our products in a single lab using a single cyclotron. The new facility will allow us to separate short and longer production processes, improving efficiency and clarity through dedicated expert teams.”