Roche agreed to acquire PathAI, a Boston-based digital pathology firm, in a deal potentially worth up to $1.05 billion. Roche will pay $750 million upfront and make milestone payments up to $300 million, with closing targeted for the second half of 2026 subject to antitrust and regulatory approvals. Roche framed the acquisition around scaling PathAI’s platform to global oncology workflows. Digital pathology digitizes slide tissue into analyzable images, enabling AI-assisted diagnostic support and faster decisions in clinical settings and research. PathAI’s work includes AI models used to interpret patient tissue samples and tools for clinical trial support and translational research. Roche said it plans to combine PathAI’s capabilities with its oncology diagnostics systems and companion diagnostic development. The companies have partnered since 2021, expanding their agreement in 2024 to include development of AI-enabled companion diagnostic algorithms. Roche also referenced a growing ecosystem for digital pathology services in trials and lab settings.