23 October 2007 - At this years world forum for medicine at Medica in Dusseldorf, 16 companies from Hong Kong present medical devices at the HKTDC pavilion in hall 7a, stand B25-C25. They cover a broad product range from blood-sugar, blood-pressure and Cholesterol self-monitoring devices via home care products and Nano-UV portable disinfection lights up to mobility scooters.

MediHealth Ltd, a Hong Kong based company, and NovaThera Ltd., UK, are pleased the development and manufacture of NovaPod - a compact, manual feed, disposable, batch culture bioreactor that allows the researchers and scientists, who participate in stem cell projects, to culture cells in three dimensions. NovaThera’s proprietary encapsulation technology can be used with NovaPod for the production of pluripotent stem cells and their progeny without the need for continuous operator intervention. MediHealth and NovaThera also announce the signing of a manufacturing and distribution agreement for NovaPod. MediHealth Ltd and NovaThera Ltd have co-developed and designed the NovaPod system in collaboration with stem cell scientists as part of a UK government sponsored project. MediHealth Ltd is starting production phase and NovaThera Ltd is gearing up for market launch at the end of the year.

“MediHealth and NovaThera have exchanged the ideas on product design and development to optimize the functions and features of NovaPod. Thus, NovaPod is more user-friendly and reliable than other products currently on the market – it is our first significant step into stem cell bioprocessing with bioreactors” said Dr. Wesley Randle, programme director of Stem Cell Bioprocessing at NovaThera Ltd, UK. Commenting on project collaboration Dr. Joseph Liu, General Manager of MediHealth Ltd, said, “We are delighted to work with NovaThera Ltd to explore these important stem cell technologies that underpin regenerative medicine. We believe that this joyful and successful collaboration will continue with the next generation of NovaPod system”.

Media Enquiries
For media enquiries, please contact

Wanny Hui
Tel: (852) 2584 4209
Email: wanny.my.hui@tdc.org.hk

About the TDC
Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers. With more than 40 offices worldwide, including 11 in the Chinese mainland, the TDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and Asia. The TDC also organises trade fairs and business missions to connect companies with opportunities in Hong Kong and the mainland, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online. For more information, visit www.tdctrade.com.