Mediwhale Inc. and Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea, are developing a new predicting tool combining artificial intelligence (AI) and non-invasive retinal eye examination capable of accurately predicting chronic kidney diseases before symptoms appears.
Shineco Inc.’s subsidiary Changzhou Biowin Pharma received marketing approval from China’s NMPA for its test device that can complete a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in five minutes. The five-minute cardiac test relies on a combination of three major cardiac markers that can detect cardiac troponin I, myoglobin and heart fatty acid binding protein in a single test.
Tissue regeneration company Osteopore Ltd. is on the cusp of dramatically changing the way orthopedic surgery is conducted globally, with Australia playing a crucial role. Osteopore was the first company to successfully develop and commercialize 3D-printed bioresorbable implants for surgical use, reducing post-surgery complications compared to permanent implants.
Lifetech Scientific Corp.’s fully degradable iron-based absorbable coronary scaffold showed its safety and efficacy to treat non-complex coronary lesions that have not been previously treated with an interventional device during a three-year, first-in-humans trial.
Awak Technologies Pte Ltd. and Singapore General Hospital (SGH) plan to launch a pre-pivotal clinical trial for their automated wearable artificial kidney peritoneal dialysis (Awak PD) device. Awak PD is a wearable and portable PD device designed for patients with end-stage kidney disease to have dialysis on the go. The research team is now recruiting subjects for the single-site, prospective, single-arm study.
South Korea is making progress towards incorporating digital medical devices into its health care system and facilitating reimbursements, but these efforts may require giving up some entrenched practices. “Digital medical devices” covers a broad range of products, including software and technologies used in therapeutic interventions. They are usually supported by technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, machine learning, sensors and wearables, data analytics and others that can facilitate the shift from traditional health care into the digital world.
Adicon Holdings Ltd. raised HK$409 million (US$52 million) in an initial public offering on the Hong Kong stock market. Its shares opened at HK$12.32, jumped 12% and closed at HK$13.8 on the first trading day. Hangzhou, China-based Adicon is among the top three independent clinical laboratory (ICL) service providers in China by total revenues. It offers testing services to hospitals and health check centres through a network of 33 self-operated laboratories across China.
A non-invasive retinal exam may soon enable clinicians to visualize the future for patients at risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). When combined with an artificial intelligence algorithm, an exam accurately predicted CKD prior to symptom onset in a study published in Digital Medicine.
Cerevasc Inc. has formed a partnership with Lianmedical Co. Ltd. to introduce Cerevasc’s medical devices for neurological diseases in the Asian market. Shanghai-based Lianmedical will help market Cerevasc's eshunt system and related products in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau. It’s eshunt system provides percutaneous transvenous-transdural access to the central nervous system.