Berkeley, California -- DSM Biomedical is expanding its operations in the US and Europe to meet increasing demand for its polyurethane technology used in medical devices, a recent company statement said.
DSM Biomedical, a subsidiary of Dutch life sciences and materials company Royal DSM NV, expanded the roles of two of its business development managers earlier this year -- one in Europe and one in the US -- to enhance client relationships in both regions and offer "on-the-ground technical assistance for customers," the statement said.
Although DSM did not give out any financial information regarding the expansion, the company's implantable polymers business is growing in excess of 20 percent per year, Robert Evans, vice president of Global Sales and Marketing, told UTI in a written statement.
As well as signing new license agreements in 2009 for its Bionate, Biospan, CarboSil, Elasthane and PurSil biomedical polymers, DSM has also recently launched the next generation of its polymers Bionate II PCU and an alternative coating technology -- VitroStealth.
Looking forward, Evans said that future investment in implantable medical polymers is challenged by the length of time, risk and ultimately cost required to get approval of a new polymer.
"Medical device manufacturers are fast recognising a growing need for high-performance, cost-effective, and easy-to-implant devices produced from proven materials that have the potential to improve patients outcomes," said Bob Ward, president of DSM PTG, part of DSM Biomedical, in the company statement.
"Our long term strategy is to continue to supply and support our traditional polymers, since many customers rely on a stable, long-term supply as well as to develop and offer next generation materials that build, incrementally from our current polymer technology platforms," Evans said. "We feel that this strategy mitigates some of the complications associated with launching entirely new polymer platforms," he added.
DSM's portfolio includes polymers for pacemakers, neurostimulation devices, prosthetic disks and spinal stabilisation devices, artificial hearts, catheters, and glucose sensors, among others. (RD)
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