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Medtronic sets up graft unit in Baroda for 100% export

Meditronic Ave, the world’s leading pacemaker manufacturer, will export its entire production of AneuRx sting graft, an advanced medical product for patients with aotic aneurysm. According to Mr Keith Wiliams, President, Medtronic AVE (Asia Pacific), AneuRx stint graft, which will be manufactured by the company’s newly established facility at Baroda, will cover nearly 25 percent of world’s demand for the product. Medtronic is also a market leader in AneuRx stint graft production.

Talking about the company’s new venture, Mr Wiliams said that the graft manufacturing facility at Baroda will manufacture around 4000 grafts during the first year of its operation and then would gear up for 10,000 grafts per year within two to three years.

The company is expected to consider India as an important centre to cater to European and North American markets for some more products in future. Currently major products of the company, namely custom tube packs, heart valves and pace makers serves the Indian market as well as export markets across the globe. With the growing demand for such products in developing nations and improvement in lifestyles, Medtronic is expected to consider low priced products, as the economy of scale matters when margins have to be slashed, admitted Mr Wiliams.

Deerfield (Illinois): Healthcare products company Baxter International Inc said it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire the haemodialysis company Althin Medical A.B., based in Sweden, in a cash and stock deal valued at about $130 millions, including assumed debt. The acquisition of Althin Medical will enhance Baxter’s haemodialysis product line, increase its manufacturing capacity for dialysis products, and expand its position in the haemodialysis market, Baxter said.

Baxter said it had entered into agreements with Mr Anders Althin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Althin Medical and his holding company to purchase a controlling interest in Althin Medical, subject to completion of a tender offer for the remaining shares of the company.

As India strives to achieve the goal of health for all by the turn of the century, the backbone of its health sector - the Rs.3,000 crore surgical instruments industry - is struggling hard in the face of growing threat from MNCs. Industry insiders also complain of lack of government support and quality consciousness within.

From producing needles, syringes and scissors to modern surgical instruments - the industry has come a long way - but it faces immense competition from MNCs, who claim their products are four times better (quality wise). "Scattered all over the country mostly as `tiny’ household units, they lack quality control systems. And, many a time most of the instruments are made with hand," says Ashok Saxena, President, Surgicals Manufacturers and Traders

"To maintain quality standards in all the products being produced by the small sector, the association has now approached the government to allot land for setting up a central research lab which would help them to come up fast and lots of imports could be avoided," says Saxena. "If the local manufacturers have to come up, they will have to adopt quality standards, which are very essential in our trade," says BK Saksena, Zonal Manager, Sabharwal’s Bulk Drugs.

MNCs eat into domestic surgical players’ share

Innvol Medical to begin commercial production