Category: Future of MedTech

Conversation with Robert Hankin

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In that capacity he has overseen the development of HIBCC from its’ early formation as a bar code labeling standards group to its’ current status as a provider of internationally-accredited healthcare supply chain product and customer identification standards. HIBCC has been designated as a Unique Device Identifier (UDI) Issuing Agency for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union (EU).

Dr. Hankin earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, where he specialized in the healthcare sector. Prior to being named HIBCC President, he held senior executive positions at the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Dental Association (ADA), and served as a Managing Consultant for a Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA- based research firm.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

MEDTRONIC LAUNCHES NEW WAY TO STIMULATE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION IN ANZ

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Medtronic Australasia this week launched Medtronic Eureka, a web-based portal for medical technology innovation designed to help physicians and medical technology inventors bring their innovative ideas to life.

The Medtronic Eureka portal hosted on Medtronic Australia and New Zealand’s (ANZ’s)  website is designed to provide a streamlined, single entry point for idea submissions, to enable strong partnerships between Medtronic and inventors in ANZ to bring novel product concepts to market and improve patients’ lives globally. It responds to the need of physicians for a clear, simple process to have the potential of their ideas evaluated by professionals.

“Through Eureka, Medtronic seeks to increase innovation in medical technology and ensure that patients can benefit from life-saving technology. We look forward to building the future of medical technology in collaboration with local inventors by enabling novel product concepts to enhance healthcare as a whole,” said Tim Fortin, Vice President and Managing Director, Medtronic Australasia.

Over the years, innovators have fuelled many breakthrough inventions. By submitting a new idea via Medtronic Eureka, inventors are assured a fair evaluation by a team of trained, global experts. Inventors are informed of Medtronic’s initial decision regarding their idea within approximately 90 days of submission. If evaluation doesn’t reveal a fit for Medtronic, inventors can consent to allow the same idea to be evaluated by an industry independent medical device incubator – the MedTech Actuator, based in Australia or MD Start, based in Switzerland. This two-step approach is designed to ensure the best chance for the invention to be supported.

Medtronic, together with our incubator partners, is committed to supporting local medtech innovation. “Australia is amongst the global best in terms of research capability and capacity. We are energised to continue to help Australian innovators develop impactful medtech solutions for the global platform,” says Dr Buzz Palmer, CEO of the MedTech Actuator.

“We are confident that an approach focused on ANZ, which protects inventors and enhances opportunities to collaborate on innovation development, will yield excellent results and push medical technology forward,” said Mr Fortin.

MedTech Innovator Announces Winners

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Both Crely Healthcare and Kesem Health now advance to the 2019 MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific Showcase Program, featuring 20 best-in-class startups from the Asia Pacific region developing transformative medical solutions to improve the lives of patients.

MedTech Innovator launched its Asia Pacific Program this year in partnership with Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed) to accelerate the growth of the most promising medical device, digital health, and diagnostic startups in the region. The first regional pitch event was held July 31 in Tokyo, the Sydney event was held August 5, and pitch events will also be held this month in Singapore on August 22 and Shanghai on August 27.

Singapore-based Crely Healthcare was voted the International Travel Award winner. The company has developed a medical device-enabled SaaS platform to improve surgical outcomes. Early warning for surgical site infections leads to timely intervention and better health outcomes for patients. As the International Travel Award winner in Australia, in addition to advancing to present in the MedTech Innovator Showcase in Singapore, Crely’s travel expenses and registration will be covered to return to Sydney for the MTAA MedTech19 Annual Conference on September 19-20. Travel expenses will graciously be provided by our regional partner IDE Group.

“MedTech Innovator is truly outstanding in supporting innovators like us and has provided a wonderful platform for innovations that transform healthcare. The Crely team is very excited and grateful for the opportunity to present their medical device enabled platform in the MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific Showcase in October,” said Arun Sethuraman, Founder & CEO of Crely Healthcare.

Kesem Health was voted the Australian Travel Award winner. The company is a connected health startup improving the convenience, accuracy and validity of data in support of the diagnosis and management of urological conditions. It produces a fully automated, easy-to-use bladder monitoring solution, implemented on a smart phone platform called iUFlow. As the Australian Travel Award winner, Kesem will advance to present in the MedTech Innovator Showcase at the Asia Pacific MedTech Forum in Singapore, and their travel expenses will be covered by IDE Group. MTAA will also be covering registration for the company at the MTAA MedTech19 Annual Conference.

“Winning the MedTech Innovator Travel Award is special. MedTech Innovator is world-renowned for their program with medical device, digital health and diagnostic startups. In Australia specifically, their ability to put together the esteemed judging panel demonstrates the calibre of their program and their capabilities. We are confident that the program will support Kesem Health’s continued progress in the commercialization of our novel technology,” said CEO Gil Hidas.

Crely Healthcare and Kesem Health will receive mentoring by MedTech Innovator’s Asia Pacific corporate collaboration partners including Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, Amgen, Boston Scientific, JOHNAN, Olympus Medical Systems Group, and Terumo. The companies are also two of 20 semi-finalists competing for four spots in the 2019 Grand Finals competition at the MedTech Forum, with up to $300,000 in non-dilutive cash prizes and awards.

“We are pleased that Crely Healthcare and Kesem Health were chosen by regional industry leaders to receive the Travel Awards to support these companies in their important mission to improve the lives of patients,” said Jenell Robinson, VP Clinical Value and Provider Relations of MedTech Innovator and Head, MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific. “Our goal in MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific is to find the most promising startups from across the Asia Pacific region and to give them access to our industry-leading corporate partners and world class ecosystem. We aim to ensure that their transformative health technologies reach patients and improve lives.”

Over 170 companies applied for the Asia Pacific program, and eight startups were selected to participate in the Tokyo pitch event. Each company presented in front of a panel of industry judges and an audience of more than 250 attendees. Startups had the opportunity to network with MedTech Innovator’s partners and to pitch their products, business plans, and value propositions to the judges. The judges included:

  • Paul Braico, Boston Scientific
  • Ian Burgess, Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)
  • Kathy Connell, Johnson & Johnson Innovation (Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd)
  • Rebecca Cortiula, Terumo
  • Erin Currie, Olympus
  • Ann Damien, Cook Medical
  • Patrick Flanagan, Design + Industry
  • David Fox, Newcastle Innovation
  • Gary Jones, Fledge Innovation Labs
  • Jeff Malone, Design + Industry
  • Alfredo Martinez-Coll, MTP Connect
  • Anne O’Neill, NSW Health
  • Buzz Palmer, MedTech Actuator
  • George Sidis, IDE Group
  • Jamie Stanistreet, BioConnexUS
  • Elane Zelcer, Australian Government
  • Stephen Thompson, Brandon Capital

Startups selected to present in the MedTech Innovator Sydney pitch event included:

Since 2013, MedTech Innovator has reviewed more than 3,000 startups and graduated 185 companies that have gone on to raise more than $1 billion in follow-on funding and bring 37 products to market. MedTech Innovator’s 2019 Asia Pacific program sponsors include Johnson & Johnson Medical Device Companies, Amgen, Boston Scientific, JOHNAN, Olympus Medical Systems Group, and Terumo. Regional sponsors for the Tokyo pitch event are Link-J and Johnan. The MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific Program is held in partnership with the Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed).

EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TAVR RECEIVES FDA APPROVAL FOR LOW-RISK PATIENTS

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The heart valve systems are used to treat severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) patients who are determined to be at low risk of open-heart surgery.

Speaking after the approval, Director of the Centre of Interventional Vascular Therepacy at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Centre, Martin Leon, said the “FDA approval of SAPIEN 3 TAVR will expand access across this proven therapy, which should be considered the preferred treatment for the majority of low-risk severe AS Patients.”

The SAPIEN 3 TAVR’s low-risk approval was base on data from the landmark PARTNER 3 Trial, an independently evaluated, randomised clinical trial comparing outcomes between TAVR and open-heart surgery. TAVR with the APIEN 3 system achieved superiority, with a 46 percent reduction in the event rate for the primary endpoint of the trial, which was a composite of all-cause mortality, all stroke and rehospitalization at one year.

The data were presented in March at the American College of Cardiology’s 68th Annual Scientific Session and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Edward’s corporate vice president for transcatheter aortic valve replacement, Larry Wood, said severe AS was a debilitating disease that often goes undiagnosed and undertreated.

“This approval is a significant milestone and will allow all patients diagnosed with severe AS to be considered for TAVR based on their individual preferences and anatomical considerations versus traditional risk scoring,” Mr Wood said.

The SAPIEN family of transcatheter heart valves have treated hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide since 2007, when the SAPIEN valve was first commercially approved in Europe. The SAPIEN 3 TAVR system builds on Edwards’ decades of experience in the development of tissue heart valves, and the proven benefits of the Edwards SAPIEN valves. This low-risk approval covers the SAPIEN 3 and SAPIEN 3 Ultra valves in all sizes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

MedTech Innovator Asia Pacific

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MedTech Innovator is the medical technology industry’s global showcase and accelerator for innovative medical device, digital health and diagnostic companies. Its mission is to improve the lives of patients by accelerating the growth of companies that are transforming the healthcare system. MedTech Innovator is the largest platform of its kind, providing participants with broad exposure to the leading players in the medtech industry. To accelerate innovation in Asia, we have partnered with the Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed 亚太医疗技术协会). APACMed is the first and only regional association to provide a unified voice for the medical technology industry in Asia.

First Robotic Prostate Surgery On A Public Patient

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How it works:

Radical urology surgery was successfully performed by the Da Vinci Surgical robot system, under the supervision of St Vincent’s surgeons.

It is the first successfully performed robotic urology surgery on Victoria’s first public patent, using the Da Vinci surgical robot system located within St Vincent’s Private Hospital

Why it matters:

The Da Vinci Robot creates a GPS system for the procedure, assisting the surgeon to stay within the pre-programmed route of the surgical area.

The system has been shown to reduce post-operative pain and provide quicker recovery for patients due to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure.

Ask the hospital:

St Vincent’s Private Hospital:

“The new robots are a part of striving for something greater in clinical and research excellence at St Vincent’s and providing patients with the best clinical outcomes.”

“This is a great example of collaboration and a fantastic opportunity for an ongoing partnership between St Vincent’s Private and Public hospital.”

Researchers Create The Building Blocks Of A Bionic Brain

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Australian bio-engineers have mimicked the human brain with an electronic chip that uses light to create and modify memories.

How it works:

The chip is based on an ultra-thin material that changes electrical resistance in response to different wavelengths of light, enabling it to mimic the way that neurons work to store and delete information in a human brain.

Why it matters:

The technology is a step further towards artificial intelligence that can harness the brain’s full sophisticated functionality. Forming the early stages of a bionic brain – a brain-on-a-chip that can learn from its environment the same as a human brain does.

The research is also hoped to better understand the brain and how it’s affected by disorders that disrupt neural connections, like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Ask the expert:

Dr Sumeet Walia RMIT Universities MicroNano Research Team Leader:

“Our chip imitates the fundamental biology of nature’s best computer – the human brain.”

“Being able to store, delete and process information is critical for computing, and the brain does this extremely efficiently.”

“We’re able to simulate the brain’s neural approach simply by shining different colours onto our chip.”

Australian Tech on Show At The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference

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The selected initiatives are:

‘The Better Visit’ app.

The app features a range of two-player games designed to enhance communication and facilitate positive social interactions between people with dementia and their visitors.

‘Customised Technology Solutions’.

The project works by asking participants what difficulties they were experiencing with their dementia, such as loneliness, boredom and problems remembering to perform everyday tasks. The technology was then customised and used to address these concerns, including introducing iPads, Smart lights, Google Home and GPS solutions.

Ask the expert:

Maree McCabe, CEO Dementia Australia.

“AAIC is the largest and most influential international meeting dedicated to dementia science.”

“I am thrilled Dementia Australia’s efforts to improve the lives of people living with dementia will be on display at such a prestigious international conference.”

“I hope the AAIC will be an opportunity for other international leaders in dementia research and services to not only learn from some of our ideas but that the conference will also provide Dementia Australia with the chance to learn from others.”

Blood Flow Monitor Could Save Lives

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The new micro-medical device could surpass traditional methods used to monitor blood flow through the aorta during prolonged and often dangerous intensive care and surgical procedures – even in the tiniest of patients.

The continuous cardiac flow monitoring probe, under development at Flinders University, is described as a safe way to give a real-time measurement of blood flow.

“The minimally invasive device is suitable for neonates right through to adults,” says research leader Strategic Professor John Arkwright, an expert in using fibre-optic technologies in medical diagnostics.

Professor Arkwright says the device has the potential to be a game-changer – particularly for very young babies, which are particularly susceptible to sudden drops in blood pressure and oxygen delivery to their vital organs.

“It’s a far more responsive measurement compared to traditional blood flow monitoring – and without life-threatening delays in the period ‘snapshot’ provided by current blood flow practices using ultrasound or thermo-dilution.”

Neonatal expert and co-investigator Dr Scott Morris, from the Flinders Medical Centre Neonatal Unit and Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health, says the new sensor-catheter device promises to deliver accurate blood flow information in critically ill patients, from pre-term babies to cardiac bypass patients.

“This tiny device, which could even be used in pre-term infants, has the potential to be far superior to the intermittent measure of averaged blood flow delivered by traditional methods which generally only show time averaged flow every 30 minutes or so,” Dr Morris says.

A provision patent has been filed for the device, which is seeking industry partners for further development.

Chief investigator Albert Ruiz-Vargas hopes the device will be picked up for further development, and introduction into regular intensive care and surgical procedures.

“The proof-of-concept prototype is potentially a low-cost device which has passed initial testing in a heart-lung machine,” Mr Ruiz-Vargas says.

“It can be inserted through a small keyhole aperture in the skin into the femoral artery in individuals where heart function is compromised and is so small it can even measure small changes in flow in the tiny blood vessels of infants.

“It’s a simple design, which can give readouts similar to a pulsating heartbeat response on a laptop or nearby screen.”

For the first time, the Flinders researchers have found an effective model to continuously measure intra-pulse blood flow using a fibre-optic sensor which has the potential to advance monitoring in a medical setting.

They say more research is now required to determine how the sensor will behave under more physiological conditions and to examine different encapsulations to comply with human safety.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]