4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) shares are rocketing on Friday after the medical imaging tech company announced a new US commercial agreement.
At the time of writing, the 4DMedical share price is up more than 11% to $3.72.
The latest gain gives shareholders some relief after a rough few weeks. The stock is still down about 21% over the past month, but it remains one of the top performers across the ASX.
Over the past year, 4DMedical shares are up 960%.
Let's take a closer look at the release.
Image source: Getty Images
A major US imaging deal
4DMedical announced that its CT:VQ technology has entered the US outpatient market through a commercial agreement with SimonMed Imaging.
SimonMed operates more than 170 outpatient imaging centres across the United States.
According to 4DMedical, the agreement allows immediate clinical deployment of CT:VQ and Lung Density Analysis (LDA) on commercial terms from day one.
SimonMed is one of the largest physician-led imaging providers in the US. It operates across 10 states and is supported by more than 300 radiologists.
4DMedical said the agreement gives it access to a large community-based imaging network beyond hospital and academic settings.
What CT:VQ actually does
CT:VQ is 4DMedical's software-based lung imaging product.
It uses existing CT scans to help doctors assess how air and blood move through the lungs.
4DMedical says the technology can support clinical decisions in areas such as pulmonary embolism, lung disease, and treatment planning.
One of the attractions is that it works with standard CT imaging infrastructure. This means imaging providers don't need to buy major new hardware before using the software.
The US reimbursement angle is also worth watching. 4DMedical said the SimonMed agreement will support the development of reimbursement evidence and data across its network.
This gives 4DMedical another way to build clinical use while also gathering the data needed to support payment pathways.
Foolish bottom line
4DMedical said the announcement is not immediately financially material.
But investors appear to be looking past the near-term revenue impact and focusing on what the agreement could mean for wider US adoption.
The agreement runs for 3 years, with pricing based on per-scan rates. Under that structure, 4DMedical is paid as the technology is used, instead of a one-off sale.
The size and type of customer are also doing some of the work here. SimonMed gives 4DMedical exposure to a large outpatient footprint, where scans are performed closer to everyday patient care.
