Medovate marks fifth anniversary

This year is momentous for Medovate as the company celebrates its 5 year anniversary since the company was spun out of the NHS to provide a dedicated medical device development vehicle for NHS innovation. The company is incredibly proud to be celebrating its fifth birthday and to mark the occasion we are taking a look back on some of the highlights of the journey so far.

Reflecting on the last 5 years, Medovate MD, Stuart Thomson said: “Everything Medovate has achieved over the last 5 years (a lifetime for a start-up) has been a real team effort and I’m so proud of everyone. Their dedication and commitment to developing NHS innovations in our portfolio and bringing breakthrough new medical technologies to market means everyone involved can make a real difference.”

While it has undoubtedly been hard – but rewarding – work, Medovate is grateful for the support, encouragement and recognition that we have received from our investors, partners and clients within the industry.

Like any other business, Medovate has had to contend with and adapt to the unique and unexpected challenges of the last few years. There have been the undeniable business challenges posed due to the COVID-19 pandemic which made launching new medical devices even more challenging than usual. There has also been the question of the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU and the fluid and developing situation over future regulatory requirements for Europe and the new UKCA mark. As a company working with manufacturers and distributors around the world, both of these aspects, alongside regular U.S tariff changes on goods, have been challenging. But it is nonetheless encouraging to look back and see how readily our business, like many others, has adapted to new ways of doing things, new ways of working, connecting, and growing.

It’s been tremendously inspiring to see how the Medovate team has been able to weather both the changing landscape and the extraordinary challenges during this time to bring our first innovative technology, the SAFIRA® system for regional anaesthesia to market. Launching in the US, with the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand and Singapore swiftly following, the SAFIRA® product offering has also been augmented and extended in response to user feedback and market need.

Along the way Medovate is honoured to have been shortlisted for various awards and delighted to have then won some prestigious accolades. This reflects the commitment and achievements of our team, and the NHS clinical innovators with whom we work so closely.

In May 2022 we were delighted to be awarded ‘Medtech Company of the Year’ at the Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards in 2022. Prior to this in September 2021 alongside , the SAFIRA® system was awarded the prestigious ‘HSJ Patient Safety Innovation of the Year 2021’. Other awards and nominations in the last 5 years have included ‘‘Best Medical Device Innovation Development Company 2022 – UK” at GHP’s Global Excellence Awards 2022 and shortlisting for the ‘Design Award’ in the Med-Tech Innovation Awards 2022.

Highlights from Medovate’s first 5 years:

• Secured over 40 patents for our product portfolio
• Launched SAFIRA® with the technology having regulatory approvals including FDA clearance in the US, CE Mark certification for Europe, TGA Approval in Australia and HSA approval in Singapore
• SAFIRA® used for veterinary during dental treatment for a lion based at Five Sisters Zoo in Scotland
• Distributors appointed for SAFIRA® in key Middle East markets: Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain
• Co-promotional partnership in the USA with Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas Inc.
• Exhibited at leading international events including World Airway Management Meeting (WAMM), Medica, Arab Health and the American and European societies for regional anaesthesia (ESRA & ASRA)
• SAFIRA added to Vizient GPO alongside Konica Minolta’s ultrasound system in the USA
• Award of GPO agreement for SAFIRA® with Premier Inc. in the USA
• Frank Collins O.B.E appointed as Chair

For those not familiar with Medovate’s history, the company was born out of the NHS to provide a dedicated route to market for clinician-inspired medical device innovations. Through a unique business model, the company works closely with the NHS, which is a stakeholder in the company, to identify, develop and commercialise new medical devices for the benefit of clinicians and their patients, both in the UK and across the world.

Medovate has a portfolio of clinical innovator inspired products across the medical specialities of anaesthesia, critical care, airway management and surgery. Applying a genuine collaborative approach with NHS clinical innovators, the Medovate team of specialists take innovative new device ideas with real potential through the whole development pathway, through to market launch and beyond.

Having successfully launched the first technology from the company portfolio SAFIRA® in multiple international markets, Medovate is actively pursuing further regulatory approvals and distribution agreements for SAFIRA® for other key markets.

There are other exciting innovations in the pipeline. Glucosave® is a patient safety solution to help identify the incidence of glucose readings during arterial blood gas sampling from a glucose solution being erroneously attached to an arterial line. This is something which if not identified early can have serious consequences for patients as it can lead to an inappropriate treatment pathway being followed. Humidicare® is a novel heat and moisture exchanger (HME) which has a safety engineered warning system to promptly visually alert staff of a dual humidification error in a ventilation circuit, helping prevent potential harm to patients. Our latest technology partnership, Endovac™ is a ground-breaking progression of endoluminal vacuum therapy (EVT) for the upper and lower gastro-intestinal tract. Invented at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and supported by a £1.2m grant from the National Institute for Health Research, this novel technology is currently in development and allows easier delivery of treatment without the need for general anaesthesia, meaning the procedure does not need to be performed in an operating theatre. Endovac™ makes EVT safer, quicker, easier and cheaper, and importantly is far less traumatic for patients. It could also potentially enable patients to be mobile during the treatment, unlike conventional therapy.

The medical device innovations which Medovate is developing raise the profile of NHS innovation and inventive clinical innovators. It also helps showcase the value of UK Medtech. The company mission is to improve patient care and safety by supplying innovative Medtech solutions inspired by clinicians and developed in partnership with the NHS. Medovate is making great progress in achieving this to date and on this important milestone, we want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has been a part of our journey.

At Medovate we are dedicated to simplifying the process of bringing novel medical technologies to life. Learn more about the company here.

The last 5 years at a glance

2018
–  Company established as ‘Medovate Ltd’ based at Milton Hall, Cambridge
–  Secured licence to develop regional anaesthesia innovations, including SAFIRA®

2019
–  Secured licence to develop intensive care innovation Glucosave
–  Achievement of ISO 13485:2016 quality management system certification
–  Secured licence to develop innovative Heat and Moisture Exchanger (HME) for critical care
–  Named ‘Most Innovative Medical Device Company (Eastern England) in Global Health & Pharma’s (GHP) 2019 Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Awards
–  Exhibited at MEDICA 2019 & World Airway Management Meeting (WAMM) 2019
–  Moved to larger premises in Girton, Cambridge

2020
–  Secured licence to develop Endovac, endoscopic surgical device
–  Launched SAFIRA in US via new appointed distributors
–  Patent granted for HME device
–  Named ‘2020’s leading Innovators in Medical Device Development – the UK’ in Global Health & Pharma’s (GHP) Global Excellence Awards
–  SAFIRA launched in Australia and New Zealand & TGA Approval secured
–  SAFIRA launched in Europe following European CE Regulatory Approval

2021
–  Co-promotional agreement for SAFIRA in US signed with Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas Inc
–  Implementation study revealed efficacy of HME safety device
–  Medovate included on new UK Healthcare Pavilion portal
–  Exhibited at ASRA 2021 alongside US distributor and Konica Minolta
–  SAFIRA used for dental surgery on a lion in Scottish zoo
–  Additions to SAFIRA product range awarded CE Mark approval
–  SAFIRA awarded HSJ Patient Safety Innovation of the Year
–  Distributor for SAFIRA in Singapore appointed
–  Partnership agreement with Medipex, the NHS innovation hub for Yorkshire and Humber, signed
–  Exhibited at Future Surgery 2021

2022
–  Exhibited as part of ABHI UK Pavilion at Arab Health 2022
–  SAFIRA palm operator launched in US
–  Joined ABHI US Accelerator 2022 cohort
–  Named ‘Best Medical Device Innovation Development Company 2022 – UK’ in Global Health & Pharma’s (GHP) Global Excellence Awards
–  Attended ESRA Resident & Trainees cadaver workshops across Europe
–  Distributors appointed for SAFIRA in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain
–  SAFIRA® exhibited at RA-UK & ISURA Joint Annual Scientific Meeting 2022
–  Awarded ‘Medtech Company of the Year’ at Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards
–  HSA Regulatory Approval in Singapore secured for SAFIRA®
–  New Medovate website launched
–  SAFIRA® added to HealthTrust GPO alongside Konica Minolta’s SONIMAGE HS2 ultrasound system in US
–  Medovate awarded group purchasing agreement for SAFIRA in the US with Premier Inc.
–  Partnership agreement with Eastern Academic Health Science Network signed

2023
–  Frank Collins O.B.E appointed as new Medovate Chair
–  Agreement with Qualitech Healthcare announced to support roll out of SAFIRA in UK