Looking to license your great new medical technology? How about acquire the next innovative thing to re-engergize your bloated, slow-changing medical leviathan? Look no further than the Silicon Valley Venture Forum 2006…
How to take new, important medical device technology, such as neurostimulation therapy for stroke victims, out of the lab and into the commercial marketplace faster will be a focus of the Life Science Showcase at The Venture Forum’s (http://www.theventureforum.com/) 11th annual event to be held June 28th and 29th at the San Jose Convention Center.
Some 1,000 technology, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and life science innovators, venture capital firms, government agency representatives and corporate investors will meet at the event linking early stage innovators with funding sources. Registration for the 2006 Venture Forum is $795.
Close to two dozen leading medical device startups are exhibiting at the Venture Forum in which exhibitors and panelists will examine the pricing pressures on large companies developing medical device products and explore alternative means of getting new products to market, including merger and acquisition activities with smaller, entrepreneurial firms.
“This is the right time for companies to innovate more cost effective devices, at the same time fulfilling the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes,” says Neven Karlovac, Ph.D., Vice President of Technology Commercialization Programs for Larta Institute, and founder of The Venture Forum.
“Pricing pressures are narrowing the pipeline for the traditional means of getting new medical devices to market, that is multinational corporations developing products and commercializing them,” says Karlovac. “Health care providers, private payers and hospitals are all tightening their belts, making it less economically feasible for large companies to bear the R&D cost,” he explains. The development life cycle of certain device categories, such as cardiac stents or pacemakers, is as lengthy as pharmaceutical products, adding to commercialization costs, Karlovac says.
One solution, says Karlovac, is to merge with, or acquire technology from, smaller firms working in the medical device industry’s most promising sectors: therapeutic devices and aesthetic services. Karlovac notes there is also significant growth opportunity in the area of neurostimulation devices for the rehabilitation of stroke patients. These devices supplement drug therapies or replace unsuccessful drug therapies. They carry a shorter development cycle and are attractive to venture capital firms and medical device companies who can get a faster return on investment, says Karlovac.
A second high growth sector is aesthetics, in which lasers are used for a variety of procedures to improve appearance. Pricing pressures are less in this sector since many of the procedures are elective and clients will pay more for the treatments, he says.
More from The Venture Forum 2006
Click through for more info on some key presenters…
Biomedical Acoustics Research Company:
BARC develops innovative medical diagnostics using computerized body sound analysis. Medical knowledge, cutting edge digital signal processing, and sensor technologies are combined to produce accurate and immediate diagnoses. The lead technology has a potential market size of about $1 billion. Pipeline products include devices for diagnosing several pulmonary, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal conditions.
Conversion Energy Enterprises:
Conversion Energy Enterprises (CEE) is developing laser-assisted tissue welding systems which consist of miniature lasers, surgical handpieces and light activated bioadhesives for repairing wounds, closing surgical incisions, fixing implants and grafts. These systems will replace sutures and staples for many surgical applications especially where the surgery is complex or when minimally invasive techniques are required. The benefits of tissue welding include the reduction in tissue trauma and infection, increased closure speed, and improved healing response and eliminates detrimental effects of wound leakage. CEE’s systems will have widespread use in herniorrhapy, ophthalmic, orthopedic, urinary and gynecological applications.
customKYnetics, Inc.:
customKYnetics, Inc. is developing exercise and motor retraining devices for use by individuals with neuromotor disabilities secondary to spinal cord injury or stroke. Several of customKYnetics’ potential product offerings utilize neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for the purposes of exercising paralyzed muscles and generating exercise movements that load bones and joints of the lower extremities. customKYnetics is additionally developing derivative devices which utilize biofeedback with or without NMES to assist clients in regaining voluntary control of paralyzed muscles.
Leo Lens Technology:
Leo Lens Technology, Inc. has developed the next generation product for the lucrative $4 billion contact lens industry. With the Leo Lens technology, exact coloring and iris imaging can now be achieved creating a superior product for the cosmetic and prosthetic segment. This globally patented and FDA-approved technology is ready for manufacturing scale-up. Leo Lens is looking for both strategic and financial partners to fully commercialize this innovative product.
…Or visit the main site for the full list of presenters