Pentax Medical Remains Committed to Endoscopic Ultrasound Business

TOKYO,Dec. 19,2019 -- PENTAX Medical continues its commitment to Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) as an indispensable part of its flexible endoscopy portfolio. The recent launch of the PENTAX Medical EUS/EBUS-J10* line-up is experiencing unmatched recognition by the endoscopy community.

In response to the recent change in ownership of the Diagnostic Imaging Business of Hitachi,Ltd. (Hitachi),a long-time research and development partner in EUS,we assureour customers that PENTAX Medical's commitment to EUS will remain unchanged. Users of PENTAX Medical platforms can continue to expect the same level of product support and future innovation to which they are accustomed.

Under the new ownership structure of Hitachi we expect our partnership to continue with equal respect and treatment for all partners and customers of Hitachi based on fair competition rules. PENTAX Medical is determined that products,services and support toour customers and partners will not be affected andwe lookforward to continuingour strong engagement in this product segment.

"Endoscopic Ultrasound is the gold standard for tumor staging and diagnosis and rapidly advancing into therapy," said Gerry Bottero,Global President,PENTAX Medical. "With our newest innovative solution,we have demonstrated a clear commitment in providing enhanced procedural efficiency and optimized patient care."

PENTAX Medical has a clear goal of expanding the EUS application into new markets,as well as working with more experts in research and education.

"Throughout their history,PENTAX Medical has been a very reliable and preferred partner of ours in the furthering of Endoscopic Ultrasound techniques and technologies like the recently launched EUS-J10* endoscopes. Together,we strive towards expanding the procedure across the globe through intense training and educational efforts. We will continue doing so in the future," said Dr. Marc Giovannini,Head Digestive Endoscopy of the Institut Paoli-Calmettes in Marseille. "PENTAX Medical echoendoscopes provide the right characteristics that enable me to raise the standards when treating my patients."

Current and future investment in EUS,as well as innovation in the field of diagnostic and therapeutic EUS-guided procedures remains an essential component of PENTAX Medical's long-term strategy.

For more information on the PENTAX Medical EUS platform,visit www.pentaxmedical.com.

*Please note that the EUS-J10 line-up is pending 510(k) clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is not commercially available in the United States.

About PENTAX Medical

PENTAX Medical is a division of HOYA Group. The company's mission is to improve the standard of patient care and quality of healthcare delivery by providing the best endoscopic products and services with a focus on QUALITY,CLINICALLY RELEVANT INNOVATION,and SIMPLICITY.

Through providing endoscopic imaging devices and solutions to the global medical community and with its headquartered in Japan,PENTAX Medical has a worldwide focus and a strong presence with R&D,regional sales,service,and in-country facilities in multiple regions around the globe.

PENTAX Medical's Triple Aim program strives to deliver on the commitment to support its customers and their healthcare organization's wider objectives through a transparent partnership and by providing the highest quality solutions to help them reach their goals. Enabling customers to improve patient outcomes by offering evidenced based solutions across the continuum of care,dedicated to their needs. From screening through to therapy with full scalabilities. Ensuring values by supporting the customers to improve their efficiency and minimize their healthcare costs. Enriching patient and provider's experience by empowering every member of the care team to achieve optimal outcomes through products,education and support. For more information,please visit: www.pentaxmedical.com.

About HOYA

Founded in 1941 in Tokyo,Japan,HOYA Corporation is a global technology and med-tech company,and a leading supplier of innovative high-tech and medical products. HOYA is active in the fields of healthcare and information technology,providing eyeglasses,medical endoscopes,intraocular lenses,optical lenses,as well as key components for semiconductor devices,LCD panels,and hard disk drives. With over 150 offices and subsidiaries worldwide,HOYA currently employs a multinational workforce of 37,000 people. For more information,please visit http://www.hoya.com.