JLK Partners with Takeyama: What This Means for AI Stroke Solutions in Japan's Medical Market

(서울=뉴스1) 문대현 기자 = JLK, a medical artificial intelligence (AI) specialist, announced on Wednesday that it has inked a sales agency agreement with Takeyama, a Japanese medical device firm, to broaden its local distribution network.

Takeyama, a medical device company founded in 1935 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, has been supplying medical equipment and materials primarily in Hokkaido and the Kanto region for nearly nine decades. Its main clientele includes public hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities.

Through this partnership, JLK aims to expand sales of its stroke AI solutions in Hokkaido by tapping into Takeyama's established sales network. Takeyama has sales offices strategically located across Hokkaido, including in Sapporo, Asahikawa, Kitami, Obihiro, Kushiro, and Hakodate.

JLK has already secured approvals for seven brain imaging AI solutions in Japan. The company is swiftly building its distribution network to introduce these solutions into medical institutions, following a series of sales agreements with local medical device companies.

This collaboration is set to increase JLK's reach to medical institutions in Hokkaido and accelerate the local adoption and sales of its approved stroke AI solutions.

A JLK spokesperson stated that Takeyama has been a trusted supplier of medical devices and materials in Hokkaido for almost a century. This agreement will allow us to expand the sales network in Japan and fast-track the commercialization of the stroke AI solutions.

JLK, established in February 2014, has been at the forefront of developing medical imaging analysis technology, with a focus on brain diseases. In 2015, the company set up a corporate research institute and secured initial funding from the Korea Technology Finance Corporation. Since then, JLK has broadened its AI medical solution portfolio to include stroke, cancer, dementia, and retinal diseases.

JLK made history in December 2019 by becoming one of the first medical AI companies in South Korea to be listed on the KOSDAQ.

Post-initial public offering (IPO), the company has concentrated on obtaining international approvals and expanding its global footprint. After securing approvals in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand in 2020, JLK has set its sights on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA).

Notably, from 2025 onwards, JLK has been consistently securing PMDA approvals for its stroke-related AI solutions in Japan, marking the beginning of its full-scale operations in the country. The company has recently been expanding its sales agreements with local medical device firms. Currently, JLK is focusing on a comprehensive AI solution for stroke that leverages computed tomography (CT), CT Perfusion (CTP), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) technologies to strengthen its position in the global market.

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