Healthcare industry

Press release - 13/12/2016

Early-diagnosis systems from Baden-Württemberg help prevent the spread of drug-resistant pathogens

More and more bacteria are developing resistance to multiple antimicrobial drugs. These multidrug-resistant bacteria can impede the action of common antibiotics via mutations or DNA transfer. More than 30,000 people are infected every year with multidrug-resistant bacteria in German hospitals alone. This could be prevented with appropriate hygiene measures and innovative test systems. Innovative test systems that enable reliable and rapid…

Article - 22/11/2016

Research on the durability and longevity of artificial joints

In Germany alone, several hundred thousand patients are given an artificial hip, knee or shoulder joint every year. Prof. Dr. Jan Philippe Kretzer and his team of researchers in the Laboratory of Biomechanics and Implant Research at the University Hospital in Heidelberg are studying what limits the longevity of implants and how durability can be improved.

High-tech - 20/10/2016

Industry 4.0 in the medical technology and pharmaceutical industry sectors

The digitalisation of industry affects the entire value chain. From individual products to digitising workflows in companies and connecting companies with clients and service providers via the Internet of Things – Industry 4.0 makes completely new manufacturing processes possible and requires new and specific business models.

Article - 01/09/2016

Tailor-made biotech fibres for improved wound dressings

Scientists have developed a biotechnological process to produce bacterial alginate. The alginate quality is highly reproducible, making it suitable for the production of fibre-based medicinal products such as wound dressings.

Company profile - 18/07/2016

mbits imaging GmbH – mobile app in the field of radiology

Trying to get a second opinion from a medical colleague who is at home preparing dinner may be quite a challenge, especially when the colleague does not have access to the necessary image data. This has now become easier in the field of radiology thanks to a mobile app called mRay, which provides a reliable way for radiologists to share medical images on mobile devices.

Company profile - 14/07/2016

neuroloop GmbH: how the manipulation of neuronal information can lower blood pressure

Millions of people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure. However, taking medicines to control high blood pressure does not work for everyone. Dr. Dennis Plachta and Prof. Dr. Thomas Stieglitz from IMTEK have now developed a neurostimulator to control blood pressure. Together with Dr. Michael Lauk, an experienced company founder, the two researchers set up a company called neuroloop, which is funded by Aesculap AG and aims to turn the…

Company profile - 05/07/2016

HS-Analysis GmbH – using digital histology to develop new drugs

The idea of analysing tissue samples automatically sounds more of a pipe dream than anything else. However, it already happens. HS-Analysis GmbH's ability to interpret tissue samples automatically is driving new drug development a decisive step forward.

Article - 23/06/2016

The body’s immune system loosens artificial joints

Hip and knee endoprostheses are not nearly as long-lasting as their natural counterparts. Dr. Ulrike Dapunt from the University Hospital Heidelberg’s Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology has now discovered that it is not the bacterial activity or secretions that lead to the degradation of bone during chronic inflammation, but rather local host defence mechanisms.

CorTec just closed a new investment that will support bringing new personalized therapies for neurological diseases to patients. With Mangold Invest a new investor could be attracted who wants to go along that way with the young medical engineering company located in Freiburg. Equally convinced of the success of this project are the previous investors who are participating in this round of financing.

Article - 20/06/2016

New diagnostic tool for greater health safety when dealing with multidrug-resistant pathogens

Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and diseases such as breast or colon cancer are among the major causes of death worldwide. Early diagnosis is therefore key for the identification of people affected and for providing immediate therapy. The R&D service provider Hahn-Schickard and its partners are currently working on the development of a rapid and simple diagnostic system that can detect life-threatening infections and cancer at…

Article - 17/05/2016

Medical devices legislation: laborious compromises in Brussels

The revision of the European legislation on medical devices is aimed at making medical devices safer and rebuilding the trust of patients. Rather than implementing the system change that was being planned after the silicone breast implant scandal in 2010, the EU called for open public consultation to prevent such incidents from occurring. As a result, revision of the legislation has been ongoing since autumn 2012.

Article - 09/05/2016

FlexiTel – microsensors for tissue monitoring

When soft tissue is transplanted, for example in a patient undergoing tumour surgery, care must be taken to ensure that the new tissue is connected to the blood system in the area where the tumour has been removed. How well this works is difficult to find out, especially in the case of deep-seated defects. Partially implantable microsensor probes called FlexiTel have the potential to improve this situation by monitoring success during the first…

Article - 02/05/2016

Biopolymers – raw materials for innovative medical products

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biodegradable biopolymers that are becoming increasingly important. Bioplastics are now used not only in everyday objects such as plastic bags and yogurt pots but also increasingly in the field of medicine, which is why intensive research into medical devices made from biodegradable polymers such as PHA has been going on for quite some time.

Article - 21/03/2016

Shock wave therapy gives hope to many men

Although the approval of vasodilatory drugs made available an effective medicine for treating erectile dysfunction, not all men respond to this type of treatment. MTS Medical UG from Konstanz has developed a therapeutic device that means that these men can now get help too. What's more, the device has no adverse health effects.

Medical technology - 14/03/2016

The operating room of the future: minimally invasive and future-oriented intervention techniques

Being able to diagnose and treat tumour patients in just a few hours is just one of the many promising goals of the Fraunhofer Project Group for Automation in Medicine and Biotechnology (PAMB). The overall goal of the Intervention and Therapy research group is to take innovative technologies for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions from laboratory development to prototype production for use in clinical trials.

Article - 10/03/2016

Dent-aDes® HygieneSysteme GmbH: improved hygiene in dental systems

The process water in dental units is a potential source of infection for patients, dentists and practice staff alike. Dent-aDes® HygieneSysteme GmbH in the city of Weinsberg has developed a system based on a special hypochlorite solution that is non-toxic for humans and efficiently combats bacteria.

Article - 18/01/2016

New approaches in the life sciences industry: innovative strategies for courageous companies

For many years, the pharmaceutical industry has been investing increasing amounts of money in the development of new products. Dr. Friedemann Taut, a specialist in anaesthesia, intensive care, emergency medicine and clinical pharmacology as well as founder and managing director of Taut Science & Service Ltd. a consultanca for Medical Device and Drug Development, explains in the following interview why small- and mid-sized companies can stay a…

Article - 21/12/2015

Using a heart simulator for optimal therapy

A realistic computer model of the human heart is expected to make treating heart diseases more effective: doctors will be able to test medicines and surgical techniques on the computer heart and determine the most effective therapy. Olaf Dössel, director of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, believes that his team's heart model is among the top five in the world.

Article - 16/12/2015

Small and handy – tiny LED lights can improve eye surgeons’ work

A new lighting system for vitreoretinal surgery that uses small white light-emitting diode (LED) technology, promises to be safer for patients and more practical for surgeons. It will probably be three years before the idea is launched as a medical product. Prototypes need to be optimised, approved and then tested for safety and functionality at the University Eye Hospital in Frankfurt.

Article - 02/12/2015

Diabetes research: can foetuses develop susceptibility to diabetes in uteri?

The measurement of blood glucose levels reveals changes in foetal brain response after a pregnant woman has consumed glucose. The postprandial brain response generated by the unborn children of women with gestational diabetes differs from that of children of women without gestational diabetes. Researchers from Tübingen have been using magnetic encephalography to examine the effect of insulin on the brain and the relationships between gestational…

Article - 01/12/2015

Process optimisation in the operating theatre

Modern IT solutions and the digital networking of devices and work processes permeate many areas of life, and this does not stop at hospital gates. A cooperative project, InnOPlan, coordinated by KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG in Tuttlingen, is studying data-driven optimisation of processes in operating theatres.

Press release - 16/11/2015

The Baden-Württemberg healthcare industry – a strong economic power

(Stuttgart – 16th November 2015) BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg has just published its latest analysis of the Baden-Württemberg healthcare industry including comprehensive facts and figures. Baden-Württemberg continues to be one of the top locations for medical technology, pharma and biotechnology in Germany.

Article - 24/09/2015

New test system for detection of HPV-related oral cavity cancers

The number of people suffering from oral or oropharyngeal cancer is rising steadily. The major cause of these cancers is human papillomaviruses (HPV) that colonise the oral cavity, where they are difficult to detect. QIAGEN Lake Constance GmbH from Stockach, in cooperation with Abviris Deutschland GmbH, has developed a new test system to improve the detection of oral HPV. This new system enables rapid and reliable quantitative detection of…

Article - 27/07/2015

Fraunhofer PAMB accelerates the development of medical devices

Dr. Auguste van Poelgeest is head of the “Control Systems for Medical Engineering” research group that is part of the Project Group for Automation in Medicine and Biotechnology (PAMB). The project group is based at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA. In an interview with Dr. Ariane Pott from BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg, van Poelgeest explains the role of automation in the field of medicine and how…

As a 100% affiliate of the Baden-Württemberg government, BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH provides targeted support to the pharmaceutical industry and the biotechnology and medical technology sectors as well as supporting the development of a bioeconomy.

The latest articles, press releases and dossiers on medical technology in Baden-Württemberg

The latest articles, press releases and dossiers on pharmaceutics in Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg is home to numerous technology parks and thus offers an excellent infrastructure and attractive high-tech locations for life sciences companies in close proximity to scientific excellence. Young companies and business start-ups particularly stand to benefit from the opportunities for cooperation with other companies and research institutions in the technology parks and also from the relatively cheap rents for office and…

Setting up an independent company is an excellent way to turn innovative life sciences solutions into successful new products and services. Baden-Württemberg is highly attractive for business startups. As one of the leading German states in the fields of healthcare and biotechnology, Baden-Württemberg has an attractive and stimulating environment for those seeking to set up their own company. Baden-Württemberg has a high density of innovative…

The Baden-Württemberg healthcare industry – a recession-proof employer that has strong ties with the region - is of key importance for the state. It comprises the biotechnology and medical technology sectors and the pharmaceutical industry. In 2019, the industry with 98,619 employees generated revenues of over 25 billion euros.

Medical technology is indispensible for human health and contributes a great deal to improving the quality of our lives. The field of medical technology covers many areas. These range from simple disposable products and consumables such as dressing materials and other clinical supplies, to IT-related telemedicine, homecare and eHealth systems as well as high-technology and innovative robotics, imaging, diagnostics and life-support systems. 842…

Article - 07/04/2015

How human lives can be saved by measuring respiratory flow

First aid at the site of an accident can save many lives. Initial assistance is very often given by non-experts. In order to help these first-aiders in what are difficult circumstances, Karl Küfner GmbH & Co. KG from Albstadt and the HSG-IMIT (Institut für Mikro- und Informationstechnik) from Villingen-Schwenningen have developed a respiratory flow sensor for first-aiders which gives visual and acoustic information during resuscitation.

Article - 15/12/2014

Heart muscle cell 1.0 and 2.0 – two epigenetic programmes in one cell

All the cells in an organism have to adapt to changing requirements as they develop and grow - including muscle cells in the heart. Crucial to this process are the cells’ growth in size and epigenetic factors that play a role in modulating the expression of various genes. The role of epigenetics in cancer development has been the focus of research for quite some time. The question is, what role do epigenetic factors play in the development of the…

While there are specific regulations in Germany for the reimbursement of medicines, funding for molecular diagnostics products is complex and virtually non-existent. There is hardly any medical insurance cover for medical devices, which therefore tend to be sold on the open market. The question therefore arises as to how a reasonable price can be determined for innovative diagnostic methods and tools. In the second part of the interview conducted…

Article - 11/08/2014

PRONTO develops microsystems for and with companies

Since 2010, PRONTO, a project run by the MicroTEC Südwest cluster, has been focusing on the production of innovative microsystems for application in the medical and other sectors. PRONTO provides microsystems development support up to small-scale production. Customers who are seeking to implement their ideas into concrete microsystems solutions can count on the expertise and infrastructure of four institutes.

The Innovation Prize 2014 aims to promote innovation in the field of biotechnology. It targets medicines, medical devices, medical technologies and e-health solutions. The Innovation Prize is open to Academic researchers in the field of Life Sciences and Representatives from young companies. The winner will receive a reward of a combined value of 50,000€ including cash and consulting services provided by Universal Biotech during one year after…

Dossier - 31/03/2014

Peptides – diverse molecules of life

Peptides exist in all organisms, wherever there are cells. The range of their physiological functions is huge. Biologically active peptides can act as hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors as well as toxins and antibiotics. This is what makes them highly interesting drug leads. They are used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cancer and other diseases. Despite some drawbacks, peptides are gaining in importance as candidates for drugs…

Article - 03/02/2014

Verapido Medical GmbH: small needles with a huge effect

Verapido Medical GmbH is a medical device company based in Villingen-Schwenningen (Germany) that develops and manufactures devices with which liquid drugs can be administered intradermally, i.e. into the skin rather than below the skin. The company’s microneedle technology looks to have several advantages over existing drug delivery methods, including better effect, less pain for the patient and lower costs.

Article - 20/01/2014

Curetis AG: Miniaturised laboratory for the simple, rapid and reliable diagnosis of serious infections

Acute pneumonia usually leaves doctors with no choice the situation can quickly become life threatening requiring doctors to act quickly. Instead of waiting for laboratory results they often prescribe an antibiotic that is effective against numerous bacterial species in the hope that it will also work against the bacterium that has caused the inflammation in the lung tissue. Curetis AG from Holzgerlingen close to Stuttgart has developed a…

Article - 16/12/2013

Cellendes puts paradigm change in cell research to good use

Cells grown on the flat furfaces of tissue culture plates do not behave as they would in their natural environment. This is why scientists are now using three-dimensional substrates to replicate the natural environmental of cells in tissue cellular matrix. Dr. Brigitte Angres and Dr. Helmut Wurst founders and managing directors of Cellendes GmbH in Reutlingen have taken advantage of this new knowledge and developed two novel hydrogels for cell…

Article - 09/12/2013

KVART – a hospital bed with built-in intelligence

Exercise is the best medicine! this was the maxim adopted by Dr. Clemens Gutknecht and Dr. Josef Schönberger when they were investigating the treatment remobilisation and care of bedridden patients. The findings of the two experienced neurologists led to the development of a concept for an intelligent hospital bed. Based on a patented technology and quantitative market potential estimates Gutknecht and Schönberger have established KVART GmbH in…

On 05.12.2013, the NMI holds a workshop in the NMI Innovation Forum in Reutlingen about "sticking and checking in medical technology in 2013." The event to innovative joining, testing and coating process for medical technology takes place from 1 till 5 pm. The application is possible till 29.11.2013. The attendance fee is 20 euros.

Article - 02/09/2013

Sectio chirurgica: live and interactive anatomy

Telemedical teaching is taking off: Tübingen’s Sectio chirurgica (TSC) is already used by around 25% of all medical students in German-speaking countries. TSC transmits surgical interventions and procedures performed by renowned surgeons into auditoriums and via Internet live stream.

Article - 08/07/2013

Götz Gresser - new director of the ITV Denkendorf

Dr.-Ing. Götz Gresser succeeds Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heinrich Planck as director of the Institute of Textile Technology and Process Engineering (ITV) Denkendorf. Gresser regards the application-oriented research and development in the fields of medical technology and biotechnology as an important success factor of the institute and will continue to further develop this.

Article - 12/03/2013

Science to business – exit strategies for biotech companies

The two directors of the consultancy firm LSCN Ltd. Dr. Alrik Koppenhöfer and Dr. Volker Ungermann explain the key issues involved in MA negotiations and licensing deals and how LSCN supports biotechnology companies and strategic investors in reaching their goals. Both managers agree that a good dose of realism is necessary.

Article - 04/03/2013

Nano-design inspired by nature enables cells to interact with implants

Eye implants that communicate with living cells have the potential to spare many patients from having to undergo further eye surgery or laser treatment. However, Christian Lingenfelder, managing director of Dornstadt-based Alamedics, believes that it will take at least five to seven years for the idea to become reality and a medical product placed on the market. Alamedics, which was founded in 2012, has already made an important initial step in…

Article - 11/02/2013

Quality management: burden or opportunity?

Companies are facing increasing demands. Globalisation and an increasingly quality-conscious market increase competition and pricing pressure. To remain globally competitive companies need a product and service quality that will satisfy the customer in the long term. Alexander Cansier managing director of OrgaConnect GmbH has specialised in the support of small and medium-sized companies in the life sciences pharmaceutical and medical technology…