Medovate secures exclusive partnerships with US distributors to launch regional anaesthesia innovation SAFIRA

Medovate, the medical device development company, has concluded agreements with three US-based companies to act as the exclusive distributors for its FDA approved SAFIRA (Safer Injection for Regional Anaesthesia) innovation across the United States of America.

The announcement puts Medovate’s US launch of SAFIRA firmly on track for summer 2020, meaning, Medovate will have successfully brought its first medtech innovation to market just over two years since the company itself was established.
Medovate’s US launch plan for SAFIRA capitalises on the rapidly growing international healthcare market and will be accelerated by its three new partners, who between them cover 20 US states, or 40 per cent of the US: Illinois-based MED Alliance, Ohio-based OE Meyer Co and Seattle-based CoMedical. All three companies are specialists in airway and anaesthesia and are members of the Independent Medical Specialty Dealers Association (IMDA), which provides the connections and expertise needed to introduce innovative medical technologies to the US market.   

Developed in collaboration with anaesthetists in the UK National Health Service (NHS), SAFIRA is set to radically advance standard clinical practice. Regional anaesthesia procedures are widely used to make a specific part of the body numb to relieve pain or allow surgical procedures to be carried out. The SAFIRA device incorporates a unique safety feature that helps reduce the risk of nerve damage by preventing anaesthetic being injected at pressures which are too high. In addition, SAFIRA allows for significant time and cost savings.

Amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, recent publications have recommended regional anaesthesia should be considered whenever surgery is planned for a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patient. This is because regional anaesthesia preserves respiratory function and avoids aerosolization and hence potential viral transmission of COVID-19 compared to general anaesthesia. With current pressures on healthcare increasing rapidly around the world, SAFIRA could help considerably because the innovative system enables regional anaesthesia to be carried out as a one-person procedure, thus further reducing viral infection risk than the current two-person practice.

With an estimated 10 million regional anaesthesia blocks carried out each year in the US, SAFIRA has the potential to generate significant patient safety improvements and total cost optimisation benefits.

Chris Rogers, Sales and Marketing Director, Medovate, commented: “I am delighted to have reached agreement with our three initial distributor partners in the US. All have experience in the anaesthesia space, and we believe are the ideal choice to help us take advantage of the huge opportunities that exist for SAFIRA in the US. Securing a network of experienced distributors is essential in delivering the significant benefits that SAFIRA is capable of.”

Mike Schroder, President, MED Alliance, adds: “We are excited to be partnering with Medovate to bring SAFIRA to the US market. The product fits neatly into our portfolio and provides a much-needed healthcare solution by facilitating the delivery of regional anaesthesia blocks in a safe and efficient way, benefiting both patients and clinicians. Medovate’s approach to launching SAFIRA shows how well it understands the US market and we are glad to be part of the team.”

Kevin Turner, VP Sales and Marketing Healthcare Division, OE Meyer, adds: “We are proud to partner with manufacturers and developers who provide innovative medical technologies which offer cost-effective solutions to healthcare professionals, so Medovate is a perfect fit. With our long-standing customer relationships and SAFIRA’s potential to positively impact patient care, we are confident that this partnership will be a success.”

Griff Overturf, Owner, CoMedical, adds:“CoMedical exists to collaboratively improve outcomes in healthcare by discovering and implementing innovative solutions through knowledge, technology, service and support. We have been committed to this mission for the last 40 years. I am pleased that we have found an opportunity to continue to fulfil this mission through our recently established partnership with Medovate.”

 



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