MedTech partnership to support brain and spine therapy in Asia Pacific region

MedTech News: A new medtech partnership will support specialist physicians from across the Asia-Pacific region and pioneer new precision approaches to therapy in a wide range of clinical areas – from cardiovascular disease to stroke, cancer, and spine conditions. 

Philips is partnering in a cutting-edge research and training centre in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP), led by interventional neuroradiologists from Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH), Dr Hal Rice, Gold Coast Australian of the year 2022, and Dr Laetitia de Villiers. The facility will showcase Philips’ interventional solutions and trial new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and novel 3D printed anatomical models.

Building on a strong track-record of conducting clinical trials and delivering specialised training at GCUH over the last decade, Dr Rice said “This dedicated facility will have the latest equipment and space to accommodate larger groups, without the constraints of prioritising patient care within a busy hospital environment.

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“Importantly we’ll be able to expand our research and development (R&D) in the neurovascular field, while broadening training in other surgical specialties, widely utilising 3D printed models to revolutionise training and looking to a future where AI and robotics will enable remote procedures, virtually anywhere in the world.

“It is incredible to have Philips’ support as our key technology partner and to also be able to bring other leading medical device companies to our facility to join forces in R&D.”

Philips will equip the centre with their Azurion biplane system, with latest version taking a further leap in integrating essential lab systems and tools in one platform.

Interventional radiologist and Philips’ Chief Medical Officer for Image Guided Therapy, Dr Atul Gupta, said that the global reputation of Dr Rice and Dr de Villiers was key to the decision to collaborate in the centre.

“Optimising the workflow across the entire care pathway offers the best chance of improving outcomes for patients with neurological conditions such as stroke and cerebral aneurysms. We are very excited to collaborate with leading physicians and contribute to innovative developments in diagnosis and treatment. Together we can further optimise the clinical workflow, remove the hurdles to faster, more decisive treatment, and improve neurologic outcomes,” said Dr Gupta.

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The GCHKP location represents an added opportunity to create collaborations with Griffith University researchers, other clinicians and industry partners.

Dr Rice and Dr de Villiers have significant credibility and expertise having undertaken world-first-in-human neurovascular trials, including four device trials in 2021, and numerous first-in-Australia trials. In 2020, Dr Rice performed the world’s first robotic neurovascular stroke clot removal, and the team has the largest caseload globally for robotic brain aneurysm repairs.

Dr de Villiers said the new centre would be equipped to enable live links to theatre suites for training doctors to be able to review and then replicate complex procedures.

“They will be able to practice on exact 3D printed replica models of the brain blood vessels of patients whose procedures they have just watched us undertake, utilising the state-of-the-art Philips image guidance system,” said Dr de Villiers.

“They will also be able to rehearse their own patient cases on personalised patient models that accurately simulate the feeling of pulsing blood, that we can 3D print in advance of training, and we can guide them through these difficult procedures.”

The new centre, which will also be equipped with high-quality audiovisual and high-speed data links, has been enabled through a substantial fit-out of an existing GCHKP building in the Lumina commercial hub, supported by NorthWest Healthcare Properties, ahead of the proposed development of their ultimate facility – ‘RDX Lumina’.

The pilot facility, within a legacy building from the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, will move into an expanded space in RDX Lumina, a world-class, eight-storey building with planned 6 Star Green Star rating and a proposed bridge link into Gold Coast Private Hospital, planned by NorthWest, Australia’s largest owner, manager and developer of healthcare real estate.

NorthWest Vice President of Leasing, Georgie Huxley, said of the development “RDX Lumina is a great example of the intersect between research, innovation, healthcare and clinical training, led by the involvement of industry leaders Dr Rice and Dr de Villiers.”