New Delhi: Mahajan Imaging & Labs and Neuberg Diagnostics have entered into a strategic joint venture to accelerate the expansion of integrated diagnostics across seven North Indian states, bringing together Mahajan’s more than 35-year legacy in radiology, nuclear medicine and advanced diagnostics with Neuberg’s strengths in pathology, genomics, molecular diagnostics, wellness and laboratory operations.
The joint venture will combine imaging, pathology, nuclear medicine, genomics and molecular diagnostics on a common platform, with the partners aiming to strengthen access to specialised diagnostics while expanding into preventive, predictive and personalised healthcare.
The partnership is expected to operate under the Mahajan Imaging & Neuberg Labs brand, subject to regulatory approvals and licences. As part of the arrangement, Mahajan Imaging & Labs will become Neuberg Diagnostics’ exclusive partner across seven North Indian states and take over Neuberg’s existing business and laboratories in Noida, Lucknow and Jammu. Kabir Mahajan will serve as CEO of the joint venture.
Building an integrated diagnostics platform
The partnership comes as diagnostics increasingly moves beyond conventional disease detection towards integrated, preventive, predictive and personalised healthcare. The companies plan to bring pathology, imaging, nuclear medicine, genomics and molecular diagnostics closer together, allowing clinicians and patients to access a broader range of diagnostic information through a connected platform.Mahajan Imaging & Labs already has pathology and genomics within its integrated diagnostic portfolio. The JV is expected to accelerate these capabilities through additional scale, infrastructure and expertise across genomics, metabolomics, proteomics and molecular pathology.
Seven-state expansion strategy
The joint venture will initially focus on Delhi-NCR and surrounding markets, before expanding into some of the largest cities in North India over the next 18 months. The seven-state territory represents around 40% of India’s population, according to the companies.
The expansion model will combine hub laboratories, collection centres, advanced imaging facilities and referral capabilities. While pathology can be scaled relatively quickly through laboratory infrastructure and collection networks, radiology expansion is expected to take a more measured approach because of its infrastructure and technology requirements.
Centres of Excellence for specialised diagnostics
A key part of the growth strategy will be the creation of Centres of Excellence focused on specialised diagnostic disciplines. These hubs are intended to move pathology beyond being viewed simply as a testing service by combining testing, clinical expertise, technology and interpretation.
The areas being developed include molecular pathology, genomics, renal pathology, cytogenetics and transplant immunology. The companies also plan to establish a full-fledged genomics laboratory in Delhi, alongside specialised capabilities such as electron microscopy-based renal biopsy evaluation.
Longevity diagnostics adds a new growth avenue
The partnership also seeks to take diagnostics beyond disease detection into the emerging longevity and preventive healthcare segment. Neuberg is planning dedicated longevity diagnostic centres in Delhi and Mumbai, bringing together whole-body MRI, whole-genome sequencing, genetic counselling and functional medicine expertise.
The proposed offering, under the Atlas Health Map brand, will initially be launched in Mumbai and Delhi before being expanded to other major cities. The focus will be on diagnostics and risk assessment rather than therapy, with genetic counsellors and functional medicine specialists helping individuals interpret their diagnostic profiles and understand potential health risks.
By combining imaging and genomic information, the offering is expected to provide a more comprehensive view of an individual’s health, including disease predisposition, pharmacogenomic insights and factors that may influence exercise and lifestyle choices. The broader ambition is to move diagnostics from a one-time intervention after illness towards a more continuous model centred on prediction, prevention, early detection and personalised health management.
AI and technology to drive diagnostic quality
Technology and artificial intelligence will be another important pillar of the joint venture. Mahajan Imaging & Labs has been working with AI in imaging since 2016-17, including applications in MRI and ultrasound aimed at improving image quality and accelerating workflows.
The partners see further opportunities for AI in workflow optimisation, quality control and diagnostic decision support across radiology and pathology. The stated priority, however, is to use technology to improve patient outcomes rather than simply add digital capabilities.
Scale, access and affordability
The joint venture also aims to use scale to make advanced diagnostics more accessible and affordable. Pathology, in particular, can benefit from economies of scale as higher testing volumes allow laboratories to optimise infrastructure and operating costs.
Neuberg’s portfolio of more than 6,000 varieties of pathological and radiological investigations will be made available across the expanded North Indian network. The company currently operates more than 200 CAP- and NABL-accredited laboratories, processes around 30 million tests annually and has a home collection network covering more than 5,500 pin codes.
For Mahajan Imaging & Labs, the partnership represents another step in its evolution from a specialised imaging-led organisation into a broader integrated diagnostics platform. For Neuberg, the JV forms part of its wider strategy to build a national diagnostics network spanning pathology, radiology, wellness and longevity diagnostics.
At the centre of the strategy, both partners informed that the objective is to expand access to advanced diagnostics while maintaining clinical quality, accuracy and patient trust.
