Israeli medical device startup Hospitech Respiration last week announced the establishment of a joint venture with Chinese company AwakeZone to expand its production and distribution capabilities in China.

The China-based joint venture, Hospitech AwakeZone Medical, will develop the production capabilities of Hospitech Respiration’s AnapnoGuard device by opening a manufacturing facility in China and will lead the commercialization of the device in the greater China market.

Hospitech’s AnapnoGuard device is designed to significantly reduce complications in ventilated patients. The device works alongside and is complementary to the ventilator. It provides automated airway cuff pressure management and automated evacuation of the subglottic secretions which minimizes the risk of lung infection and risk of injury to the trachea walls.

The device is in use in the US, Israel and in various hospitals in China since 2017.

THE LARGER PICTURE

As part of its efforts to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, the AnapnoGuard system was offered by Hospitech Respiration to hospitals in the country on a free loan-basis in March. Amid a new spike in the number of ventilated patients in the month of September, AnapnoGuard has also been adopted by the Sheba Medical Centre, Yitzhak Shamir Medical Centre and Wolfson Medical Centre, MobiHealthNews reported. 

ON THE RECORD 

“We are extremely pleased to announce the establishment of Hospitech AwakeZone Medical Company, a manufacturing and local Chinese sales subsidiary. This joint venture will allow Hospitech to work closely with the local medical professionals and authorities in China, which is becoming the world’s second largest medical device market. 

We are looking forward to working together to ensure our products become the standard of care in treatment of ventilated patients in the Chinese healthcare system. At the same time, this new joint venture will enable Hospitech Respiration in Israel to focus on further developing its existing advanced solutions while introducing new innovative products in the airway management field,” said Yoav Venkert, CEO of Hospitech Respiration.

"The systems are in in use in several leading hospital in China since 2018 and were used to treat Covid-19 patients in several hospitals in the Wuhan region,” said Sunny Shan, CEO of AwakZone Medical. 

"The Chinese market is offering a great opportunity for Hospitech products with more that 5.5 million beds in total and about 165,000 intensive care beds for ventilated patients in the level II hospital. The establishment of the Hospitech AwakeZone Medical joint venture will provide easier access to the Chinese healthcare system, ensuring Hospitech’s AnapnoGuard device is used in hospitals across China to provide better care and outcome for patients and protection to medical staff.”