MedTech Bites September 2019 – edited by Jeanette Donnelly
The NZ MedTech Sector celebrates spring with wonderful news from Aroa Biosurgery, NZ’s leading tissue regeneration company based in Auckland. Aroa Biosurgery designs, manufactures and commecialises scaffolds for complex wounds. Earlier in September, Aroa Biosurgery stamped its mark globally with its first profit since it was founded 11 years ago (https://tin100.com/aroa-biosurgery/), and recently opened a satellite office in San Diego. As an interesting observation, 10 years seems to be the critical milestone for NZ medtech companies to reach profitability and sustainability.
Keeping with breakthroughs for NZ companies, ARANZ Medical from Christchurch recently announced that its Silhoutte® device has been incorporated into a best-practice Virtual Multidisciplinary Foot Ulcer Clinic across the Kimberly in Australia. The Silhoutte® is a wound imaging, measurement and documentation system that supports more accurate wound assessment. ARANZ Medical’s technology is utilized by the Virtual Clinic team of specialists to treat and care for people with foot ulcers in rural areas in their own communities. This reduces the social, emotional and economic burden to patients and costs to the healthcare system. https://boabhealth.com.au/virtual-multidisciplinary-foot-ulcer-clinic-rolled-out-for-kimberley-people/
The New Zealand HealthTech Insights Report is due to be launched on 8th November in conjunction with the Angel Association New Zealand conference in Christchurch. This is a collaboration between the CMDT and the Technology Innovation Network (TIN) to benchmark the New Zealand Health Tech sector, illustrating what success looks like and profiling university spin-outs to large global companies. The report will be available to download online from 8th November thanks to our sponsors from the government (MBIE, ATEED, NZTE) and private sector (Cure Kids Ventures, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, MTANZ, NZHIT and HINZ). If anyone is interested, please send us a note to medtechcore@auckland.ac.nz and we will point you in the right direction.
In this issue we profile an affordable new patient lifter invented at the University of Canterbury that makes it quick and easy for a single carer to move people between sitting positions. The added value in my opinion is that it is small enough to be used comfortably at home. We also introduce two exceptional bioengineers from the MedTech CoRE, Prof Debbie Munro from University of Canterbury and Assoc-Prof Andrew Taberner from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland. One was responsible for the Jurassic Park Ride robotic at Universal Studios in Hollywood and the other is working on needleless jet injection devices to spare those of us who are afraid of needles! The diversity of our researchers is what makes the MedTech CoRE an interesting connection point for new medtech developments.
IN THE NZ MEDTECH WORLD…
Moving from acquired knowledge to new knowledge
A variety of interesting jobs from seemingly different areas of specialisation have contributed to Dr Munro’s passion in orthopaedics and biomechanics, where she aims to improve healthcare in a multitude of ways.
A better way to lift elderly patients
The Kera patient lifter is helping out more than just one person at a time. Kera is saving people, time and work related injuries.
Building portable actuators and motors to solve medical problems
Associate Professor Andrew Taberner talks about his current focus with the development of needle free injections and the challenges that come with this research.
EVENTS
Breakfast Networking Event “UNCONSCIOUS BIAS”
November 21
Hamilton