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International expansion for 270 Vision
270 Vision has announced ambitious expansion plans, as the med-tech business seeks to raise investment to support its growth and the deployment of two new products.
The Hampshire-based company has gone from strength to strength with BPMpathway, which offers cost-effective and reliable technology in support of remote patient assessment undertaken by clinicians. They now aim to utilise the technology to diversify into new markets in an investment raise through the Elevate investment network.
Founded in 2011, 270 Vision are developers of simple-to-use, highly accurate body analysis technology for use in injury prevention and rehabilitation in the medical, employee welfare and elite sports sectors. With six patents granted and two further applications pending, multi-award winning 270 Vision are internationally renowned as the market leaders in motion sensor design and development.
In 2016, recognising the potential of BPMpathway, international healthcare giants B. Braun first invested into 270 Vision as part of their strategy of securing access to key future technology and to take the product into patient rehabilitation post orthopaedic surgery under a global distribution agreement. In 2018, B. Braun further increased their stake in the company to support the worldwide rollout of BPMpathway which, through the partnership, has gone on to be certified in 14 countries. Of those 14 countries, it has already been successfully launched into seven, including China and India, and it is expected to be launched into Japan and South Korea later in 2021.
BresMed’s new global HQ at Steel City House in Sheffield is the heart of the company’s worldwide operation. Commenting on the move, CEO Nic Brereton said: “I am so proud to be expanding BresMed to these premium “Our journey to date has been fantastic, premises in the city. The building very much and we have been extremely proud to fits with our brand – it’s iconic with a quirky have been recognised with a National feel and, like us, it dares to be different.” Medilink Outstanding Achievement The company has come a long way since Nic moved into a one-person office in the city many years ago, adding: “Actually, it was more a cupboard! However, it helped me launch the Award, as well as securing the partnership with B. Braun, without whom the scale of the expansion to date would not have been possible.” business.” Martin Gossling
CEO and Co-founder 270 Vision
In addition to the Medilink Award, the business has won several further accolades, including the Best Digital Health Platform award for BPMpathway at the 2018 Juniper Research Future Digital Awards.
Having successfully raised £2.9m in investment to date, the business is now seeking to raise further investment through the Elevate investment network, to aid their growth plans and support the launch of new products including WPMpro and BPMcare.
Commenting on the new products, CFO and Co-founder Jane Gossling said: “WPMpro is a cost-effective system at the forefront of the next generation of wearable sensor technology. Multiple smart, autonomous sensors detect excessive joint range of motion to help employers identify individuals at risk of injury and, through pro-active early intervention, limit the cost and disruption caused by work-related musculoskeletal disorders.”
Jane added: “WPMpro technology is a game-changer in the world of wearables. For the first time, far field charging of the multiple sensors can be delivered in a production solution. There is currently no commercially available solution capable of producing a complete body assessment, because manually charging even two-three sensors has been deemed impractical. With WPMpro, however, as many as 20 sensors can be distributed throughout a person’s clothing without the wearer being aware of them. These sensors are then charged overnight as they hang in the individual’s locker using patent-pending RF transmitters at regulated frequencies developed by 270 Vision.”
In addition to smart clothing, 270 Vision is also looking to develop its BPMcare technology. Jane explained: “BPMcare uses technology complementary to BPMpathway in the remote monitoring of bio-signs and urinary issues in patients in long term care, particularly those with comorbidities and catheter users. BPMcare technology is designed to detect blood and dehydration to help reduce the risk of infection and further complications”.
SEHTA Grant Appraisal & Application Review
For most MedTech SMEs, public sector grant funding is essential to their early growth to help them develop their proof of concept, their technology and start early clinical development. Some public sector grants will also fund later stage development such as clinical trials, IP protection and help with regulatory approval. SEHTA has a strong track record helping companies understand the funding landscape in the UK and working closely with them to secure funding. SEHTA staff also help government bodies review grant applications so have first-hand experience of what makes an application successful.
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• A Grant Appraisal Service, which provides initial feedback on the proposal and directs the SME to the most suitable funding source(s). The appraisal is based upon completion of a form by the SME articulating the technology/service they need funding for, what they want to do with the funding and how much funding they need. • A Grant Review Service, which provides a rapid analysis of a completed draft grant application articulating ways to improve it to increase the chance of success. Good VeryFair Good
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Powered by ABHI, the UK Healthcare Pavilion is a unique partnering platform helping overseas customers discover, connect and innovate with the UK’s thriving healthcare and life sciences sector. Its aim is to inspire cross-border collaborations that can realise large scale impact in response to local and global health challenges.
The platform was created out of a need to provide a single front door showcasing the strengths of UK healthcare and life sciences. Its mission is to provide overseas buyers looking for UK solutions with a simple, insightful way to identify and engage UK industry and healthcare organisations, and to support UK-based medical device, diagnostics, and digital health exporters looking to engage customers around the world.
The UK Healthcare Pavilion provides a global platform showcasing the very best of the sector, and highlights the strengths the UK has to offer.
Medilink Midlands CEO and Board announced
The newly forged Board of Directors for Medilink Midlands has appointed Dr Darren Clark as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors. Darren previously held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Medilink East Midlands.
Darren joined Medilink East Midlands in 2004 and has over 20 years’ experience in the life science sector, the majority gained in industry, at Pharmaceutical Profiles (now Quotient Sciences), with the remainder in academic research at the University of Warwick.
Reflecting on his appointment, Darren said: “I am honoured and excited to have been selected to lead Medilink Midlands. What businesses need more than anything at the moment is reliability and assurance. As newly appointed CEO, I have a deep commitment to strengthen our support to the Midlands life science community.
“Looking forward, we will need to accelerate our strategic approach to ensure we serve all our Patrons, Members and the Midlands life science community as a whole, to the best of our ability in these ever-changing times. Great work has been done, but we must continue to drive the Midlands forward. I am very confident we can do this because of the amazing team of people that work at Medilink Midlands, and collectively we have the desire, capabilities and knowledge to secure more new and exciting initiatives for the benefit of our members.”
As the East and West Midlands come together as Medilink Midlands, a new Board of Directors has been formed by bringing together the former boards of Medilink East and West Midlands, with Prof Martin Levermore DL appointed Chair of the Board, who previously served as Chair on the Medilink West Midlands Board of Directors.
Darren commented: “I’m delighted Martin has been appointed as Medilink Midlands Chair. Martin holds an impressive collection of professional responsibilities within the Midlands and brings with him a significant level of knowledge and exposure to the diverse life sciences and med-tech eco-system which will assist in guiding our objectives. With Martin and our Board of Directors at our side, I have no doubt Medilink Midlands has the right structure in place to progress and develop the Midlands life science offering.” Martin responded: “As Medilink Midlands enters its next chapter, I look forward to working alongside my fellow Board members to enable bigger and better opportunities to all, and shine a light on the regions remarkable infrastructure of life sciences, med-tech and health care organisations we boast here in the Midlands. During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Medilink Midlands than Darren. A proven leader with a clear business vision and the ability to bring people together.”
Darren added: “Each director brings with them their unique approach and experience, and the appointment of the board represents a significant and exciting step in the growth of the Midlands, offering a new strategic direction. I’m delighted to welcome three new business leaders to our Board of Directors – Dr Arash Gadar, Technical Director of Datalink Electronics, Charles de Rohan, CEO of The Binding Site, and Mark Pettitt, former CEO now Non-Executive Director of Kimal. All well respected in the medical technology sector, bringing with them a wealth of valuable industry experiences which adds to the breadth of experience possessed by the other Board members. Collectively, this Board represents the diversity of the life sciences sector across the Midlands and is well placed to ensure the needs of our members and the wider sector at met.”
Commenting on his appointment, Charles de Rohan from The Binding Site said: “I’m delighted to be asked to serve on the Board of this organisation, which in its expanded state should now be even better positioned to help companies develop and grow. I hope that I can provide value to members and would-be members through mentorship and advice, as well as assisting with overall direction for Medilink Midlands.”
Darren concluded: “Our members are at the forefront of everything we do. As we move into the officially formed Medilink Midlands membership, we will continue to consider the best way to move forwards and we will share our ideas with our members. Our aim is to develop more organic pathways across the Midlands, and as a single operating model this will be easier to achieve with more effective access to networks, opportunities and regional recognition of success, all for the benefit of our companies.”
Gwalia Healthcare beats a double challenge
2020 presented Gwalia Healthcare with a double challenge. Whilst recovering from a flood as a result of Storm Dennis, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. With tremendous work, the UK-based pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturer has bounced back stronger.
Continuity of supply demonstrates a strong service ethos
In February 2020, Gwalia Healthcare’s South Wales manufacturing site fell victim to Storm Dennis when the River Taff burst its banks. It took six weeks and an enormous amount of work to get production back up and running. In the meantime, hand-assembly units were used to ensure that customers experienced no break in their supply chain. As recognition, the company was awarded for its exceptional customer service throughout this time. Little did they know that an even bigger challenge was on its way, with the emergence of COVID-19. Taking an opportunity to diversify the business further, Gwalia began filling locally sourced alcohol-based sanitiser gel into their own bottles and closures onsite in Treforest.
Expanding into contamination control to create the ‘Hybrisphere’
It soon became apparent that the COVID-19 pandemic needed a better solution, so Gwalia Healthcare began working with fellow MediWales member Hybrisan (a PortTalbot biotechnology company) on a range of alcohol-free antimicrobial and biocidal products. In addition to hand gel, Gwalia collaborated with Hybrisan to develop a range of decontamination products, which led them to become a key UK distributor for the Graco SaniSpray HP range of airless sprayers. Together, the collaboration has also developed the concept of the ‘Hybrisphere’ which highlights the need for all decontamination products in the workplace to be compatible, with the right balance between efficacy and safety of personnel and facilities. This has been adopted by a number of high-profile customers, including elite sporting facilities and FTSE 100 office complexes. Diversification has also seen the launch of a Decontamination Team. Continued investment to increase capacity and sustainability
The last six months has been a time of continued investment at Gwalia Healthcare, including the arrival of new machinery for their class 7 cleanrooms, as well as expanding their workforce and infrastructure. Due to recent growth, the workforce has been scaled up by 40 per cent and warehouse capacity has increased by an additional 400 pallet spaces. New high-tech moulding machinery has enabled the company to keep up with increased demand for pharmaceutical packaging and medical device manufacture at the ISO 13485 accredited site.
Gwalia Healthcare has taken delivery of 11 new machines, all of which are electric instead of hydraulic and use significantly less energy. This development, combined with high utilisation of local supply chains, has enabled the company to reduce their carbon footprint – a vital consideration as a single use plastics manufacturer.
App helps reduce hospital admissions in Midlands
A digital remote care solution, including a mobile phone app, is being used by Dudley CCG to help improve the care of patients at home with COVID-19. The app, developed by Norwegian medical software company Dignio, is helping patients to stay at home safely and therefore avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital, as well as alerting clinical staff of patients more seriously ill who need prompt admission.
Patients participating in the pilot download the MyDignio app and use Bluetooth enabled medical devices, provided as part of the pilot, to monitor their temperature and oxygen levels at home. The app connects to a dashboard at the local health centre, allowing these readings to be assessed by the clinical team so they can safely keep track of patients with COVID-19 while they remain in their own home.
Users also report their symptoms through a questionnaire within the app to provide a clearer overview of their condition. The platform enables patients to become more engaged in their own health through daily monitoring and communication.
Previously, self-isolating patients would receive a call to establish symptoms, but the easy-to-use app now works as a ‘virtual ward’. Patient readings are recorded automatically and alerts are sent to healthcare staff at the first sign of any deterioration, prioritising care for patients who need it most. Dignio has recently joined the Serendip Accelerator programme which, operating in partnership with the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (WMAHSN), is designed to support the scaleup of digital innovations. Following successful implementation, MyDignio could be used on a wider scale, for COVID-19 monitoring across more of the West Midlands or nationally.
Dr Ewa Truchanowicz, Managing Director of MyDignio, said: “We were delighted to be accepted for the Serendip Accelerator. Having experienced support from the WMAHSN experts in our oximetry at home with the Dudley CCG project, we look forward to enhancing our growth in the region and beyond. Our connected care solution offers a safe and effective remote care management, and working with WMAHSN allows us to ensure that it reflects the ‘best in class’ not just in technology, but also in methodology and content.”
NHS Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group is also planning to expand the solution to care homes across the area. The technology is able to monitor other conditions such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure and general health of all care home residents.
BresMed’s new global HQ at Steel City House in Sheffield is the heart of the company’s worldwide operation. Commenting on the move, CEO Nic Brereton said: “I am so proud to be expanding BresMed to these premium premises in the city. The building very much fits with our brand – it’s iconic with a quirky feel and, like us, it dares to be different.” “The AHSN plays an important role in ensuring the NHS benefits from innovation, including digital solutions to challenging clinical scenarios. The company has come a long way since Nic Early in the pandemic, the WMAHSN moved into a one-person office in the city supported Dudley CCG to find a digital many years ago, adding: “Actually, it was more solution which would compliment and a cupboard! However, it helped me launch the improve their COVID at-home service. business.” Subsequently, after the CCG settled on a
solution, the WMAHSN has coordinated a comprehensive evaluation of the service focusing on the digital remote care platform provided by Dignio.”
Dr Julian Sonksen
WMAHSN Clinical Advisor
