Singapore's medtech sector to receive S$36m boost for research
By Rachel Kelly, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 November 2009 2122 hrs

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SINGAPORE: Singapore's medical technology sector is getting a S$36 million boost from A*STAR and the Health Ministry. The funds are aimed at improving research and development in the sector.

The announcement, made at the 14th Biomedical Sciences International Advisory Council (BMS IAC) Meeting on Friday, is also expected to increase international investment into the sector.

Glaucoma is the world's second leading cause of blindness. Recent studies have shown that over 90 per cent of patients with glaucoma are unaware that they have the condition.

Advancements in medical imaging to screen large populations for the glaucoma disease are just one of eight projects to receive a grant under a new biomedical engineering programme.

This was launched as part of the wider S$36 million effort, which also aims to build up manpower and skills within such specialist areas.

Lim Chuan Poh, chairman of A*STAR, said: "We are going to open up the space and more medtech companies will come here. Singaporeans who want to participate in this sector will have a lot more high-value job opportunities in this sector."

A*STAR will also collaborate with the Centre for Integration of Medicine and Innovation Technology (CIMIT) from Boston to bring together engineers, scientists from both sides to foster new and relevant clinical solutions.

Experts said such synergies within different specialisations will raise Singapore's competitive edge in terms of intellectual property.

Richard Sykes, chairman of BMS IAC, said: "I think it will contribute further to what is already here in Singapore by actually getting some IP that is owned here in Singapore, and then of course, that can be sold back to the industry.

"It might be developed and marketed worldwide, so it's a little different from what's been here before because it gives Singapore the right to own the intellectual property on that product."

The medtech industry is expected to contribute S$5 billion to Singapore's manufacturing output in 2015, up from S$3 billion in 2008.

The S$36 million funding will be split in three ways – S$10 million will be kept for further projects next year, S$6 million will go to the collaboration between A*STAR and CIMIT, while the remaining S$20 million will be used for the biomedical engineering programme that is made up of eight projects:

1. Project AGLAIA – a rapid way to screen large populations for glaucoma through advanced medical imaging.

2. Project ArtsBCI – a way to perform personalised stroke rehabilitation outside a rehab centre.

3. Biosensor Prosthetic Vascular Graft – vascular graft sensors that provide early detection for vascular graft stenosis.

4. Pressure Sensor Endovascular Catheter – a more reliable and faster method to obtain vascular access.

5. Project ISyNCC – advanced monitoring and alert system to enable intensive care unit (ICU) doctors to rapidly make treatment decisions.

6. Project SEIZE – a less labour-intensive and more skill-dependent monitoring system to automatically diagnose seizures in epileptics.

7. Project IRAS – an image-guided, robot-assisted training system for simulation of complex surgeries.

8. Left Ventricular Remodelling – an accurate way to access and monitor post- heart attack patients for left ventricular remodelling.


- CNA/so