The US continues to be the biggest medtech market, but China is fast catching up as its growth – albeit slowing down slightly – remains at solid double-digit rates for many companies.
Illumina, Varian Among Flurry Of China Collabs
The ever-growing importance of the Chinese market and the increasing presence of Chinese players in the global medtech arena has not gone amiss in 2017, and the new year began with a flurry of announcements of further East-West partnerships being forged, including one by next-gen sequencing leader Illumina and by cancer therapy specialist Varian Medical Systems. Additionally, global investment firm Ally Bridge sealed a deal with LifeTech to co-invest in medtech companies looking to tackle China.
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The International Medical Device Regulators Forum discussed AI regulation, the development of a reliance playbook, and post-market regulation at the group's annual meeting in Tokyo last week. While the US FDA was not on-site, the agency was able to participate virtually.
Zydus Lifesciences plans to expand global markets for patented products of French orthopedic tech company Amplitude Surgicals which it is acquiring from PE firm PAI Partners and others. Could the European business also serve as a buffer to upheaval in the US amid talks of tariffs?
In response to the Trump administration increasing its tariffs on imports from China, Beijing announced a ban on gene sequencers from US biotech firm Illumina, signaling a full-blown trade war could be in the making. Trump also pushed the deadline for implementing tariffs on Canada and Mexico back by another month.
China's medical equipment industry is growing rapidly, driven by limited domestic presence in high-cost segments and increasing adoption of local products in areas like monitoring equipment, defibrillators, and ventilators. International giants dominate the high-end market, but domestic companies such as Neusoft Medical Systems and Mindray Medical are making significant strides.
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Abbott presented late-breaking data at the 2025 American College of Cardiology conference demonstrating that TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair offers prolonged patient benefits compared to medical treatment alone after two years, which were not evident at one year.