Progentech teams up with Human Genetic Signatures to Develop Assays for Bacteria

Progentech Limited, Inc, a Shanghai-based clinical diagnostics equipment manufacturer has signed a licensing agreement with Australian life science company Human Genetic Signatures, to develop and commercialize assays that measure levels of common hospital-acquired bacteria.

Under the agreement, Human Genetic Signatures will develop assays for MRSA, MSSA, VRE and C. difficile, which will be integrated for use within Progentech’s automated Entura platforms. The manual assays for these initial infection targets is expected to be submitted to the FDA for regulatory approval in 2009, while the fully integrated and automated versions of the assays will follow in 2010. The financial terms of the agreement was not disclosed by both companies. 

Dr. Trevor Hawkins, Chairman & CEO, Progentech, said ”We are very excited to be working with Human Genetic Signatures to develop and commercialize these assays. Our venture will provide a valuable solution to the underserved hospital-acquired infections market.” The partnership is expected to yield benefits to both companies as it marks the beginning of Progentech’s Applied Sciences businesses, positioning their products further into the Molecular Diagnostics, Forensics and Immunoassay market segments while marking Human Genetic Signatures’ entrance into the commercial Clinical Diagnostics market.

Thailand’s Private Hospitals sets its Sights on the Middle East

With the increasing competition in its domestic market, Thailand’s largest private healthcare providers are expanding abroad, in particular developing its presence in the Middle East. In June, Bumrungrad International, operator of South-East Asia’s largest private hospital, signed a four-year agreement with the Abu Dhabi Health Authority to operate the al-Mafraq Hospital in the United Arab Emirates.

Under the terms of the agreement, Bumrungrad will manage a 460-bed hospital in the al-Mafraq region which has seen 310,000 patients annually. In addition, construction will start this year on a new modern hospital building, set to replace the present facility by mid-2011.

Bumrungrad International's Buildings. Picture from Wikipedia.

Dennis Brown, chief executive officer of Bumrungrad International, said Dubai was an attractive market as “the UAE is shifting from a government-provided healthcare system to a private system funded by a national insurance plan. Secondly, there is significant economic and population growth occurring in the UAE.” The company is also optimistic that it can meet investment expectations within five years of opening the hospital in Dubai.

Other projects in the region that Bumrungrad has entered includes a local joint investment to build hospitals in Dubai for the Dubai World Project. The first phase of the project will feature a 250-bed facility opening next year.Apart from the Middle East, Bumrungrad has also made acquisitions in other parts of Asia, such as its purchase of Asia Renal Care (ARC), a Singapore-based regional provider of dialysis service, and its plan to invest up to US$20 million (THB 691 million) in Asian Hospital and Medical Centre, one of Manila’s leading private facilities, to cater to the growing demand for high-quality private healthcare in the Philippines.

Another Thai company, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, which operates the Bangkok Hospital Group (BGH), also has plans to reach out to the Middle East in order to attract more international patients. The group is negotiating with state agencies and private firms in Qatar, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Saudi Arabia, hoping to sign cooperation contracts with them. Such contracts would provide the basis for these firms to send their employees to BGH’s hospital network in Thailand for medical services.

Thus far, BGH has concluded similar contracts with Abu Dhabi’s biggest oil firm, the Dubai Defence and Public Health ministries and the Qatari Public Health Ministry. The company now operates 19 hospitals under the Bangkok, Samitivej, BNH and Royal International brands, with the latter operating in Cambodia and Abu Dhabi.

Wallop Adhikomprapa, president of Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, said BGH was interested in entering Saudi Arabia, due to its large population.

Medical Travel for US Patients to New Zealand by Medtral

Medtral New Zealand, a company providing a comprehensive medical travel package covering travel, accommodation, hospital procedures, and post-operative care at the country’s world-class private medical facilities has forged a partnership with California-based Global Medical Conexions (GMCx). GMCx will add Medtral hospitals to its list of International Select Provider Organization (ISPO), which consists of the highest quality physicians and healthcare facilities.

“This strategic alliance will serve the interests of both organizations because the addition of medical travel to New Zealand opens opportunities for Medtral to expand its client base while providing our clients with the best and most attractively priced options for medical travel,” says Bob Repke, president of Global Medical Conexions. He added that, ”New Zealand is an ideal choice for self-insured companies seeking to reduce healthcare costs while maintaining or improving the quality of healthcare for their members or employees. New Zealand is a first world, English-speaking country with very high quality medicine and a clean, green environment that is ideal for recuperation. Additionally, the affordability of the travel and treatment packages is unparalleled.” It is worth noting that Medtral New Zealand’s network of hospitals adheres to Quality Health New Zealand (QHNZ) and International Society of Quality (ISQua) accreditation standards, allowing the company to promote the top notch medical services to patients seeking quality yet more affordable treatment. 

“Global Medical Conexions is at the forefront of this industry and well-positioned to bring New Zealand hospitals to U.S. employers,” says Steve Nichols, managing director of Medtral New Zealand. “We expect that self-funded employers will respond favorably to this opportunity and make New Zealand a top-of-mind medical travel option for employees.”

TCM’s RFID Technology applied towards Healthcare ID

Leading barcode printer company, SATO, which is listed in Tokyo, announced a partnership arrangement with Motorola and TCM RFiD to develop and market a comprehensive patient information management system. This particular system is expected to utilize SATO’s quality wristbands and SATO’s Label Gallery 3, coupled with Motorola’s enterprise digital assistants (EDA) and TCM’s Intelligent Medicine Dispensing System (i-MDS). Together, they aim to provide a complete solution specifically designed to cater to the intense requirements of the healthcare industry.

Managing Director, SATO International Asia Pacific, Mr Lim Yee, commented that “SATO’s complete healthcare solution is specifically tailored to empower medical professionals with the essential tools to enhance their data collection needs, effectively and accurately. This will prevent inadvertent medical errors, thus bringing a peace of mind to patients and medical caregivers.”

Mr Michael Oh, Managing Director of TCM RFiD, further added that TCM’s award winning i-MDS solution aims to ensure that all the right procedures are being followed not only for drug administration, as well as for vital sign and specimen collection. Previously, TCM RFiD has won the contract to supply Singapore’s National Healthcare Group (NHG) with portable medicine verification scanners to ensure the correct medication goes to the right patients.

Picture of RFiD Scanner from TCM.