MedTech disciplines in Saxony-Anhalt

App warns of Alzheimer's disease

What promotes a good memory and which factors have a negative effect on mental performance? The Magdeburg-based company neotiv has developed an app that uses short memory tests to analyze the impact of lifestyle on mental performance. A company that produces a series of products that support memory is Neotiv. A life-changing hybrid, Neotiv combines world-leading dementia research with software development, engineering and entrepreneurship expertise.

"Just like cardiovascular health, cognitive health can also be modified," explains Neotiv's CEO and co-founder Dr. Chris Rehse. "Since irreversible damage to the brain caused by Alzheimer's sometimes occurs more than a decade before the first symptoms appear, diagnostic research is increasingly focusing on early detection and prevention. Neotiv offers high-frequency monitoring of neuroanatomically specific memory functions that are particularly susceptible to Alzheimer's disease. And it is precisely for this reason that Neotiv is the ideal tool for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment and changing lifestyles.

In summary, Neotiv plans to read your brain like a book, flip to the last chapter and make sure there is a happy ending. Imagine Neotiv as neuroscience's answer to polio vaccination.

Tomorrow's incubation often revolves as much around the "where" as the "how". World-changing companies like Neotiv need local support to be successful. "The company's headquarters in Saxony-Anhalt is a unique opportunity for Neotiv," says Rehse. "The German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases [DZNE] of the Helmholtz Association and the Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research [IKND] are world-renowned dementia research centres in Magdeburg. They provide an essential environment for translating pioneering science into products of high value to users and patients. In addition, we benefit from the local network of researchers, entrepreneurs and the state government. The network is essential to bring together expertise on dementia, start-up procedures and design planning after the first meeting of the founding team".

Saving lives with VR

The Magdeburg company “2tainment” is conquering the medical sector with digital simulations

Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) are opening doors to new worlds in all sectors. Computer games, in particular, are paving the way for innovative technologies: nowadays, modern gaming technology isn’t just being used in entertainment, it can be found in every industry. The Magdeburg-based company "2tainment GmbH" is demonstrating the strength of companies from Saxony-Anhalt in the market.

They had the right "nose" from the start. In 2016, a trio of entrepreneurs launches the company “2tainment” in Saxony-Anhalt. They focus on the federal state for a variety of reasons. The IBG funds managed by bmp Beteiligungsmanagement AG – venture capital funds financed with state and EU resources – make a financial contribution. And the partners are well aware of the courses at the local universities, in which budding young professionals learn all about the computer games sector. "Our decision to set up in Magdeburg was exactly right," says Development Director Bartol Ruzic, who now runs the business in partnership with Stefan Weyl.

On arriving in Magdeburg, the entrepreneurs initially occupy an office at the Science Port, placing them close to the university with its well-educated students and graduates, and giving them immediate opportunities for cooperation - especially when it comes to virtual reality. The company starts by developing its basic fields of business – developing and marketing hardware and software entertainment products, and optimising hardware for gamers. As a “publisher”, the company travels all over the world and serves all the leading game consoles. Two years ago, it was the first company in Saxony-Anhalt to release a computer game to be used on consoles such as the "Playstation" etc.: the action game "Air Conflicts Secret Wars".

"The current developments in medical technology are exciting..."

Since then, the software and hardware offerings in the Magdeburg firm have found themselves in good company. AR and VR are opening up new areas of business. "We want to focus more strongly on software development in the future," explains the Development Director. The team is fascinated by the ways in which XR – the combination of virtual and augmented reality - can be used, and the new worlds which it is able to open. "We’re very excited about what’s happening in the world of medical technology," says Ruzic. In this respect, those looking for "2tainment” are increasingly likely to come across the name "2simulate", with which the Magdeburg entrepreneurs intend to develop their own brand in the medical sector. "Sooner or later, this could develop into a new company in Saxony-Anhalt," opines Bartol Ruzic.

OP training: cooperation on the research campus at Magdeburg University

The first steps in this direction have now been taken: on the "STIMULATE” research campus at Otto-von-Guericke-University, the company is supporting scientists with "AVATAR": in this joint project, which is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, VR and visualisation techniques are being developed for the purpose of innovative surgical training. The goal is to enable doctors to simulate surgical situations at different locations simultaneously in the future. In this respect, the surgeons work on the basis of virtual reality, are able to train for emergencies and complications, and can exchange specialist knowledge. Mainz University Medical School, the Harvard Medical School in the USA as well as the regional businesses “metraTec" and "2tainment" are also participating in the project. Bartol Ruzic believes that this research, in the scope of which his company is developing the "multi-user communication network", is "very exciting". It also constitutes a convincing tool for “additional simulation projects in the medical sector”. In this context, “2tainment” is currently focusing on the topic of emergency simulators. "We recently visited around 30 medical centres to gain an overview of the things that can be improved," explains Bartol Ruzic. The bottom line: a whole lot. "There is considerable demand for digital optimisations in casualty departments. Nearly all the clinics that we contacted were very interested,” explains the Development Director. The company is responding very quickly, and now creating a prototype for the possible simulations. Here, equipped with VR glasses and "data gloves", experienced and prospective physicians or the medical staff are able to train for emergencies and act out “rehearsals” on how to take the right decisions quickly.

Digital vision: simulations for all areas of training

The Magdeburg-based company has the famous Charité hospital in Berlin as its principal partner. "Our vision in this area is to create a medical product which facilitates regular training with the goal of gaining qualifications, similar to airline pilots," explains Ruzic. To achieve this, however, it will be necessary for the guidelines and processes in the medical sector to be changed. For the "2tainment" team, attending specialist conferences is now high on the agenda - with the goal of sounding out new interest groups and the future demand. “We want to have our first operational version ready by 2020,” explains Ruzic. The Magdeburg-based company is also looking to the future in terms of other areas of use. Whether it is the fire department, the police, disaster response or even the world of sports – wherever it is necessary to train people, the simulation tools from the Magdeburg company could be of use. “There are almost no limits,” explains the entrepreneur, “as far as we are concerned, the future is the virtual world”.

Bicycle for neurorehabilitation

Startup Torque3 in San Jose, California and Sachsenring Bike Manufaktur in Sangerhausen are tinkering with a bicycle – for neurorehabilitation

Long before Covid-19 broke out, nursing research scientist Patrick Jahn was arguing for digital healthcare to be championed rather than demonized: “In rural areas especially, mobile care would make things so much easier for professional and family carers as well as for the people who need that care.” Jahn and like-minded scientists and businesses formed an alliance called “Translationsregion für digitale Gesundheitsversorgung” (the Region for Digital Healthcare Transformation) – TDG for short, which is bringing innovative solutions to rural areas.

“We’re focusing on digital aids that help people stay independent in their familiar home environment even at an advanced age. And we’re developing solutions for a digital infrastructure to guarantee high-quality health- and outpatient care, especially in rural areas,” says Patrick Jahn. As a trained nurse with a Ph.D. in Nursing Science, he knows exactly what he’s talking about. Last July, the 44-year-old was appointed to the Head of Nursing Research at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.

“Around 25% of the population in Saxony-Anhalt is over 65. By 2030 it will be 30%,” says Jahn, adding that this demographic trend is also spawning new business segments. The acute impact of the Covid-19 crisis has made the need for digital solutions blatantly obvious, he says, in the full knowledge that the digital world is a difficult, alien concept in the eyes of most private households and care facilities. That’s what he’s working on with his 70-plus TDG partners, including universities, software firms, housing companies, doctors, care service providers and therapists. One such example is a pilot project called Living Together 4.0, co-run with local housing company HaNeuer Wohnen. A pioneer in living spaces for seniors, the firm is keen to equip its homes with digital technology that meets their needs. The project includes a user-friendly online portal that quickly connects people looking for help with “spur-of-the-moment” volunteers in their neighborhood.

Telepresence robots and tele-speech therapy

Patrick Jahn sees the coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to gain faster acceptance and implementation for digital offerings like telecare, which are taking on new significance in terms of online consultations between doctors, professional carers and family caregivers – from instructions on how to change a dressing to accessing speech therapy exercises. Jahn is exploring the use of telepresence robots. The first models at Halle University Hospital are extremely promising. The mobile VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system, which is controlled by a doctor or nurse, makes everyone involved in the conversation feel like they’re in the same room. “People are now keen to try out these aids for outpatient care and nursing” says Jahn.

Another project, involving Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Pixelmad Studios UG in Magdeburg and the UHK Speech Therapy School in Halle amongst others, aims to provide aphasia patients – who have generally suffered a stroke – with speech therapy in their own homes. The innovation uses AI-based assessment and exercise planning. “A digital tele-speech therapy room that can be used by individuals or groups would give patients with reduced mobility in rural areas access to very effective aftercare,” says Jahn. The talented young team at Magdeburg’s Pixelmad Studios is working on 3D visualization as well as game and software development.

Neurorehabilitation by bike

The therapeutic application of “exergaming” – computer games that require people to react and move parts of their body – is another field that nursing researcher Patrick Jahn is passionate about. As a co-founder of the Saxony-Anhalt Stroke Alliance (SASA), he’s interested in using this type of innovation to aid neurorehabilitation after a stroke, with a view to helping patients lead an active, independent life. This particular collaboration goes all the way to San Jose in California, where Start-up Torque3 is developing a platform for simulation technologies. It resembles a stationary recumbent bike and simulates a realistic cycling experience for the user – from pushing against the pedals to highly accurate steering feedback and even the feel of the air rushing by.

Sachsenring Bike Manufaktur GmbH (SBM) in Sangerhausen sees a whole new business area in offering stroke patients VR-assisted rehabilitation at home. The company is over 100 years old, with a Saxony-Anhalt heritage as one of the biggest bicycle production sites in Europe as well as extensive expertise in sensors and electric drive solutions. SBM and Torque3 plan to co-develop and build an innovative training device the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Jahn sees this project as a sustainable example of how digitalization can even be used preventively to help reduce care dependency.

Author: Kathrain Graubaum

Fighting muscle atrophy in style

Fighting muscle atrophy in style

Haynl-Elektronik GmbH has taken the leap into the international market for medical technology

Haynl-Elektronik GmbH in Schönebeck (Elbe) focuses on the development and manufacturing of medical technology for treatment methods in which electrical stimulation and biofeedback training are used. For the innovative small business from Saxony-Anhalt, research collaborations are indispensable if it is to assert itself on the national and international market for medical technology.

Carsten Hentzsch balances himself with one leg on the vibrating treatment surface of a “Posturomed”. The name of this piece of equipment is derived from postural system”. This refers to the combination of all the systems in the human body which provide for posture stability. The software and measurement technology for the “Posturomed” from the company HAIDER BIOSWING in Pullenreuth comes from the company Haynl-Elektronik GmbH in Schönebeck (Elbe). The company from Saxony-Anhalt has made an international name for itself with the development and manufacturing of high-quality medical technology. “This device is used to perform standardised tests on humans for the assessment of their central motor coordination capability. A feedback program creates visual feedback in real time which can be shown on a computer screen. The higher the vibration frequency and vibration amplitude, the lower the stability values,” explains Hentzsch, one of the managing directors of Haynl-Elektronik.

Fighting muscle atrophy in style

The “Posturomed” is used in rehabilitation and competitive sports as well as in prevention. Hentzsch discusses the promotion of occupational health. The offerings in this area have long since become decisive quality factors for good working conditions. According to Hentzsch, back health is a key issue here. Today, physical strain which is considered to be unhealthy includes activities that are of a predominantly sedentary nature. In prophylaxis, the “Posturomed” is used to measure the whole of postural system. On the basis of the data, the device can then be used for feedback-controlled training. The Managing Director of Haynl-Elektronik provides a demonstration. Targeted training sessions are possible by swinging the treatment surface upwards accordingly. As, according to Hentzsch, a person’s muscles can also be trained in old age, the prevention of age-related illnesses such as bone and muscle atrophy or sensor-motor impairments, for example, provides considerable potential for the “Posturomed”.

The proposal for this device originated from the contact that was forged between the Schönebeck-based company and HAIDER BIOSWING at the world’s biggest trade fair for medical technology, the MEDICA in Düsseldorf. Experts meet at the MEDICA every year, where they focus on the healthcare market of tomorrow. Haynl-Elektronik is also a regular attendee at the event, which it uses in order to forge international business relationships and help shape the future market. They have been collaborating with HAIDER for ten years, which has resulted in the continuous further development of the software and technology. It is this form of cooperation with industry, scientists and doctors that enables Haynl-Elektronik with its eight employees – electrical engineers, computer scientists and medical technicians – to develop innovative products.

Biofeedback in real time

The company was founded by Kurt Haynl in 1982. At that time, it developed equipment for occupational medical examinations in hospitals, clinics and company medical practices. In the early 1990s, following from the technological possibilities available after the reunification of Germany, the company concentrated on the development of high-performance therapy equipment and developed high-performance sport as an area of business.

Haynl-Elektronik continues to apply its experience, expertise and networks in the healthcare market, and has established itself as a leading service provider. Its distribution customers sell the Haynl products in Poland, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Cuba, Mexico and Great Britain.

At Haynl-Elektronik, treatment methods for electrical stimulation and biofeedback training are the key focus of product development and manufacturing. “Thanks to our proximity to the practice, we know all about the needs of doctors, therapists and patients,” says Carsten Hentzsch. In cooperation with a medical technology company from the Ruhr area and together with scientists from the Ruhr University Bochum, his company has developed a special electrical stimulation concept and an application-oriented programmable training assistant for stroke rehabilitation.

In close cooperation with urologists, electrotherapy devices for the treatment of various forms of incontinence and bladder emptying disorder have also been launched on the market. They work by applying electrical stimulation to the muscles and nerves. The tension and relaxation which arises as well as muscle contractions which the patient does not perceive sufficiently, are made visible via visual signals. “The medical devices are also ideally suited for home therapy, i.e. for the continuous active training of the endurance, strength and coordination of the muscles,” explains Carsten Hentzsch.

“Currently,” explains the member of the company management, “Haynl-Elektronik considers international foreign marketing to be one of its most important tasks. In an extensive transnational network, we are able to find better conditions for commercial cooperation.” Hentzsch is also thinking of cross-sector contacts in order to open up new business fields for the company based on electronic measurement and control technology.

Intelligent Catheters

The INKAs: on the path to glory

“Intelligent Catheters” are an interdisciplinary field of research at the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg

The INKAs, from the Chair for Intelligent Catheters at the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, are making a name for themselves with award-winning innovations for image-based therapies. Their in-house InnoLab IGT (Image Guided Therapy laboratory) is a close companion from the initial idea through to the start-up.

With the laparoscope in his left hand and an instrument with miniature forceps at the tip in his right hand, Medical Engineer Thomas Sühn navigates both through the abdomen of a “phantom” reproduction of the human body, and looks at the screen. The “feeling” for whether the therapeutic part of the instrument is actually located in the target tissue is controlled by an “intelligent” needle system: the SURgical Audio Guide, or SURAG for short, recognizes the acoustic signals of the human body. The innovative technology measures the interactions between the human tissue and the biopsy needle through an accessory at the end of the instrument which records sound from the tissue structures. The expert on the signal analysis is Dr Alfredo Illanes. Dr Alfredo Illanes and doctoral student Thomas Sühn are members of INKA – the research group of the Chair for Intelligent Catheters – Catheter Technologies and Image-Controlled Therapy at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. Michael Friebe, an expert in magnetic resonance imaging and other imaging technologies, holds the professorship, which is financed by companies in the regional economy.

His INKA team, consisting of young junior scientists, has succeeded in becoming a multiple award-winning advanced grouping for the development of components and complete systems for minimally invasive surgical techniques, as well as for areas of application in the areas of medical imaging and micro-systems technology.

A team of scientists has just been awarded the 2019 IQ Innovation Prize for Central Germany. They developed the contrast medium injector “EasyJector” for imaging diagnostics. The new device is small, lightweight, and controlled by an app, and patients can wear it on their arm even in close proximity to the magnetic resonance scanner (MRI). “Contrast medium injections could be 1,000 times cheaper with the EasyJector,” says Michael Friebe, explaining that the current objective is to place the device on the medical technology market. The companion along this path is an innovation and start-up laboratory, the likes of which we have only seen from the creative industries. The InnoLab IGT (Image Guided Therapy) was initiated by the INKA Chair.

The Innovation Incubator

“We want to link ideas and people,” explains INKA Professor Friebe, saying that the InnoLab IGT provides assistance in analysing the need for start-up ideas. In the further course of the project, the participating stakeholders can build their models here in the prototype laboratory and test them in interaction with various medical robots in the simulation OR.

Friebe is currently in talks with an interested party who wants to take the “EasyJector” to the Scandinavian market. They have to provide the certifications required by law, develop a business model, found a start-up... . These are just a few of the preparatory steps that the InnoLab IGT assumes responsibility for – roughly ten percent of the total costs until a medical technology product is on the market, Friebe highlights.

With their SURgical Audio Guide, Thomas Sühn and Alfredo Illanes are among those who want to entrepreneurs. In 2017, the INKAs were awarded a prize in the Hugo-Junkers competition of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt in the category of the “Most Innovative Projects in Basic Research”. The INKA-InnoLab is supporting them in the further development of SURAG. The audio signal must be translated by information technology so that the doctor can interpret it effectively during an operation. At the same time, Thomas Sühn and Alfredo Illanes are being accompanied in the founding of their start-up company.

Prototype tests in the InnoLab

Sinja Lagotzki and Juan Sebastián Sánchez López from the INKA team have now been “entrepreneurs” for a few months. Their start-up. “In-Line” produces new MR-compatible tools, including the corresponding software. This new generation of tools, which work precisely and efficiently in the MRI environment, aims to help physicians to perform minimally invasive treatments, also in the narrow tube of the magnetic resonance scanner – safely, conveniently and quickly. “In-Line” is currently developing tools for pain therapy in the spine. Thanks to the demonstrations in the InnoLab IGT simulation operating theatre (OT), the start-up company can be certain of demand.

“Both researchers and clinical users, but also industrial manufacturers can test our prototypes on site,” explains INKA Professor Friebe. The equipment of the simulation OT includes, among others, reproductions of the human body called “Phantom”, an operating table, a 3D-C arm, an endoscopy tower, various medical robots and ultrasound tomography devices.

One of these state-of-the-art devices is a prize that was awarded directly by the American medical technology company General Electric Healthcare for projects relating to liver health. An INKA research group joined the competition with its method of ultrasound-guided monitoring of the temperature propagation in human tissue. “It is difficult to distinguish a tumour from the surrounding healthy tissue. The image analysis which we have developed enables us to identify the tumour and plan the targeted destruction at a temperature of at least 60 degrees Celsius,” explains Medical Engineer Jens Ziegle. The doctoral student provided the ideas for the procedure.

Award-winning healthcare solutions

A new ultrasound device from the company piur imaging GmbH is currently being installed in the INKA-InnoLab. The Austrian company intends to enhance ultrasound devices with an additional function which combines several ultrasound images to create a 3D image. The INKAs are participating in this EU research project.

The outstanding importance of this innovation laboratory for the medical technology industry is underscored not least by the renowned membership of the globally active InnoLab IGT Industry Advisory Board. In addition to piur imaging GmbH, global players such as Olympus Surgical Technologies Europe (Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH), Brainlab AG, Surgiceye GmbH and the local Primed GmbH are also represented.

At the end of the day, Professor Friebe posts the latest news: medical technology company Siemens Healthineers is awarding two prizes to developments that the INKAs “... have put on the path to becoming a provider of innovative healthcare solutions.”

Intelligent soles

New ways for diabetics: Intelligent soles from Saxony-Anhalt measure pressure and temperature

Magdeburg-based “Thorsis Technologies” is using sensor technology as a basis for intelligent e-health solutions

Smart soles as emergency aid for diabetics

It looks inconspicuous as it lies on the table. The managing director of Thorsis Technologies GmbH, Thorsten Szczepanski, takes a sole in his hand and quickly demonstrates that there is more to it than meets the eye. “This sole can make life easier for diabetics and given them back their quality of life.” Because this sole is “smart”. It continually measures pressure and temperature distribution in the foot, helping to recognize incorrect weight bearing and warn the wearer. The idea of measuring what is wrong using a shoe insert is not a new one, and yet the Magdeburg-based company has introduced something new by combining pressure and temperature measurements. Like a conventional sole, Thorsis’ sole is designed as a three-layer-system with a sole core, soft cushioning and protective coating. The intelligence is concealed in the middle: In a thin layer with textile pressure sensors, which can be easily affixed – by the manufacturer or by orthopaedic shoemakers. The smart electronic solution is currently being produced directly within the company. The core is also processed here. Layer by layer, emergency aid for diabetics is created.

Point solution for a major demand field

The number of patients is testament to the fact that the need for such solutions exists. More than a million people in Germany alone have to live with the diagnosis of polyneuropathy, suffering from paraesthesia, such as tingling or burning in the feet, and sensibility disorders. This means they only feel contact, temperature or pain in a reduced capacity, or not at all. This poor perception of pathological changes to the feet and the higher probability of circulatory problems frequently lead to amputations. There are lots of pathologies in people suffering from diabetes. These are summarized under the term “diabetic foot syndrome”. They all have one thing in common – they can trigger complications and are an extreme burden if they are treated too late or inaccurately. The first manufactured and used sole inserts show: They work perfectly and simply.

Because if patients are warned, they can make changes themselves in good time, for example by shifting their loadbearing. “In turn, this increases self-regulation,” explains Fred Samland, head of the Medical Engineering department at Thorsis. And this is precisely one of the medical objectives of this innovation from Saxony-Anhalt. A professor from the University Hospital Magdeburg approached the team with the idea. He wanted to calculate inflammations and incorrect weight bearing by measuring the temperature. What he lacked was a company that could provide the technical solution, immerse itself in the problem and implement the research results practically. Thorsten Szczepanski was able to “mentally tick” all these points.

The first steps for the Internet of Things

The Magdeburg-based company has years of scientific, technical and practical experience to rely on. This history of Thorsis began under the new name just a year ago, but the foundations of the company were laid 20 years ago as “ifak system GmbH”. As a partner of the not-for-profit Institut für Automation und Kommunikation ifak in Magdeburg, the company supported countless projects and products. “This was a very important part of our corporate history,” says the managing director of Thorsis. When the focuses of the two partners moved apart, “it was logical for each to break new ground,” says Szczepanski. “Thorsis” was born – interestingly, this is an artificial name with the intention of being understood in any language. Because here in Magdeburg, there are no limits to the thinking of the 35 employees, primarily qualified specialists from the region – both in terms of research and application and when it comes to capturing new markets, initially in Central Europe, and then perhaps further away. The development of the sole has since become so advanced that, from October, about 150 patients will test the clinical effect – in a study as part of the “Autonomy in Old Age” research association of the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The managing director is sure that this will be another important step towards greater quantities of the soles being produced.

Technological leap in health IT

When it’s time, Thorsis already has the right sales partners by its side. As an established company, Thorsis has developed a good reputation and is also considered a pioneer in research and development. “We continue to have a user-oriented institution by our side in the form of the Fraunhofer Institute. We work with the Otto-von-Guericke University and our collaboration with the Technology Campus and the University Hospital also works very well,” says the managing director. Thorsis is also active in many business divisions, has a wide portfolio and a large network. Thorsten Szczepanski says, “We have a good opportunity here to continually gain a technical advance.” This includes fitting the intelligent soles with components and solutions to make them even more “clever”. Not only can they take measurements, they can also store and transmit information. Various user terminals, for example smartphones, can be coupled together using a diagnosis app. Results are transmitted by Bluetooth. The data is saved and can be inputted on request. “This makes more in-depth evaluation of the condition possible,” says Fred Samland. “Ultimately, this helps the doctor or therapist to provide targeted support.”

Good starting point for future potentials

Specialists, scientists and clinics have already registered interest in these possibilities or offered support in its further development. “Such networks are part of the reason that we are able to do such targeted work in medical engineering in Saxony-Anhalt,” says Szczepanski. He can imagine that Thorsis will grow in the near future. “And exactly here in this location, where we are ideally embedded into the research landscape and where the distribution networks are developed.” The “smart” soles for diabetics could contribute to the successful expansion of the business. Because – even if you don’t see it at first sight – there is potential for other products in them. The managing director explains, “Many variations for different areas could be created yet. Their use in the rehabilitation of stroke patients is just one of the many possibilities.”   

Medical technology from one source

seleon gmbh plays its part in bringing relief to Covid-19 patients with its ventilators. The company develops and manufactures many different types of medical technology products in Saxony-Anhalt. The Dessau-based business is one of nearly 120 companies in the sector who are experiencing consistent growth in Saxony-Anhalt.

Production in Dessau started to gain momentum almost 20 years ago, when still trading under the name of Heptec, with the development and production of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) device to treat sleep apnea – when breathing is interrupted during sleep. The range of product services has grown considerably in the meantime. Devices built by seleon are also used in cardiology as well as in imaging procedures, in diagnostics or in the maintenance of equipment. Their product portfolio includes hardware and software. seleon always acts as a service provider; in rare cases, the company name appears on the device – when it is the legal manufacturer on behalf of the client. “We develop, produce and arrange manufacture of the product for the client, from the concept stage right through to the end of the product life cycle,” explains Peter Hartung. “This means that we can support clients from the concept, through development to approval, through clinical trials, series production right through to post-market. Clients can come to us with their innovative ideas, and here at seleon we can transform and develop them.”

The precision engineering graduate has been with the company almost from the beginning and now heads up the Consulting Business Unit. “Dessau is our second-largest site after our headquarters in Heilbronn. Devices are developed and produced across all our sites,” he states. His colleagues from the Production Business Unit in Dessau predominantly work on the installation and testing of electro-mechanical assemblies and devices in the active medical technology segment. Depending on the contract, they also produce single components, small batches and production runs with more than 10,000 pieces.

The company also has sites in Hamburg and Leipzig. The software developers are based in Leipzig and Hamburg, as are the consulting experts, who are responsible for the approval of the devices, both in Germany and globally. This isn’t just about in-house developments,” explains Peter Hartung. “Our clients are start-ups – small and medium-sized companies as well as large ones, who either don’t have sufficient in-house expertise in the areas we do, or who don’t have sufficient capacity for the task in question. The broad portfolio of around 100 employees here at seleon enables our clients to buy precisely the services that they are either unable or unwilling to provide.”

This is how seleon has developed, since it was founded in 1998, into a leading international medical technology development, consulting and production service provider. Most of seleon’s clients come from Germany, Austria and Switzerland but the company has seen some international success, such as in America and Australia.

Well established in the University Triangle

While large parts of development and the consulting activities could now be provided from almost anywhere – from an office or even a home office –, production has a fixed location, in Dessau. If the initial choice of location seemed rather random, on the basis that senior employees lived in the region, seleon soon came to appreciate the advantages. This is mainly because its location, between the central German university campuses of Leipzig, Halle and Magdeburg and close to the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Bernburg and to Köthen and Dessau itself, makes it possible to have short-distance cooperation and contact with skilled workers. “We attract very good engineers here, so we have an experienced and highly-qualified team,” states Peter Hartung.

For many years, seleon has nurtured a partnership with the Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg and the medical technology Research Campus STIMULATE, which has broadened the know-how on both sides. For example, seleon also provides support for projects funded by Saxony-Anhalt and other backers that are pursued jointly with the University.

Networks mean mutual support

seleon attaches great importance on valuable partnerships and nurtures effective networks. The list of contacts is long and includes internationally renowned establishments like Johns Hopkins University Hospital as well as regional associations. This also includes innoMed, the medical technology network in Saxony-Anhalt. With the opportunities for human contact now increasing after the drastic Covid restrictions, networks can be further expanded. Not only are they a source of mutually beneficial inspiration, they also of course help seleon generate new clients. “Medical technology in Saxony-Anhalt is gaining further momentum. Those of us in the consulting sector in the Magdeburg region want to use our expertise to support this accordingly,” says Peter Hartung, looking ahead. Here, there is a growing need. He sees the greatest potential for further business development coming from start-ups, who can draw on the service provider’s portfolio and implement their ideas efficiently as a result.

With this medical technology cluster, Saxony-Anhalt is supporting young companies as well as established businesses. Many of the companies are among the leaders in their field in the development and manufacture of innovative medical technology products, whether it is in the field of prevention, diagnosis, therapy or service.

seleon’s ability to develop innovative solutions for its clients is demonstrated by the 37 patents granted and around 50 patents applied for since the company was founded. For example, the company has a patent for an algorithm that ensures the correct air supply in a CPAP device so that there is no respiratory failure during sleep.

Innovation requires continuing education, not just for product development, but also – and significantly – in the area of consulting. To be able to reliably and successfully provide clients with the necessary advice and support globally, the seleon consultants must be constantly up-to-date with the latest and most current knowledge. “In the Consulting Business Unit, we dedicate up to 20 per cent of our time to new or amended issues.” Peter Hartung stresses the importance of continuing education: “This continuing education doesn’t just open up new opportunities to us, it is also an investment in the future.”

Author: Renate Wähnelt/IMG Saxony-Anhalt 

Photo: Whether at the production site of the medical technology manufacturer seleon GmbH in Dessau, Saxony-Anhalt, or at the company's headquarters in Heilbronn, intensive consultation with customers is a fundamental part of the comprehensive service offered by the company for Anne Matousek, Consultant, and Peter Hartung, Head of the Consulting Division. From the development of hardware and software to production and approval, seleon offers everything from a single source. © seleon gmbh/Robin Schumann

Keyhole surgery

Listening at the keyhole: A medical technology start-up from Saxony-Anhalt is revolutionizing keyhole surgery

Small incisions and rapid healing: minimally invasive surgery brings many benefits and has been part of everyday clinical practice for several decades. SURAG Medical GmbH aims to give surgeons additional audio support. The start-up from Magdeburg has developed a system that listens to the surgical instrument and provides information in real time. This could make keyhole surgery safer and more precise.

At SURAG Medical GmbH they bring out the good old tin can telephone to demonstrate to people without a medical or technical background how their innovation works. Moritz Spiller vibrates the string and a noise can be heard in the tin cans at each end. “In principle that’s what we are doing,” he says. “We’re making interactions audible.” The Chief Commercial Officer of the company makes it sound so simple, but in combination with the innovation introduced by the young company it represents a milestone in the world of surgery. Years of development work and the experience of users have gone into the innovative plug-and-play system that “listens” to the interaction between the instrument and the tissue and transforms it into perceptible feedback.

Reducing the risk of damage to blood vessels

Moritz Spiller starts another demonstration by pushing a needle through simulated tissue. A small black device is fixed to the needle. If the biopsy needle meets with resistance, it can indicate this to the surgeon in audible or visual form. The fact that the prototype of the instrument exists is down to the persistence, expertise and research abilities of the six-person team of specialists. It is all based on an idea from Dr. Alfredo Illanes, now the team leader at SURAG and senior research scientist in the INKA research group, which is part of the medical faculty of Otto von Guericke University (OVGU). One evening in his office he put a stethoscope on a biopsy needle, moved it over a surface and listened carefully. This was the moment when the idea for SURAG or Surgical Audio Guidance was born, which gives the company its name and has initiated a development that could fill a gap in the field of minimally invasive surgery. It will allow surgeons to position and move their instruments more precisely. As Moritz Spiller explains: “This will help to avoid damage to organs and blood vessels and reduce costs for the healthcare system.”

Support from the German government’s EXIST Transfer of Research

The team has underpinned its development activities with the experiences of many prominent medical specialists from a variety of surgical disciplines. From the very start, they have helped to ensure that the development from Magdeburg meets surgeons’ needs and the requirements of clinical practice. The concept has also received national and regional awards, such as the Hugo Junkers prize for research and innovation from Saxony-Anhalt. In 2020, the start-up project was granted two years of funding from the German government and the European Union via the EXIST Transfer of Research program. The state of Saxony-Anhalt is also supporting the young company with egoStart funding.

Market launch by 2025 at the latest

Moritz Spiller explains that the team of developers from the fields of engineering, IT and medicine are focusing on the market launch. There is a clear strategy: by 2025 at the latest SURAG will be in use in German operating theaters and later in those in the USA for laparoscopies and other minimally invasive procedures. Until then, the team is working on improvements such as smaller and lighter components and obtaining feedback from surgeons and designers, according to Moritz Spiller. He is a graduate of OVGU and currently responsible for software development and commercialization at SURAG. He looks around his rooms at the University Hospital Magdeburg and says: “The conditions here are ideal for us.”

Wide-ranging network

At the hospital, the young company is supported by the INKA research group, which stands for Innovation Laboratory for Image Guided Therapy. Alongside the team’s core competencies and the help of the department of their mentor and start-up member Professor Michael Friebe, SURAG also benefits from a wide-ranging network of prestigious hospitals and research institutions. The department for Computer Aided Medical Procedures & Augmented Reality at TU Munich is also involved.

Success in the Fight Club of the Start-up Safari Saxony-Anhalt

One of the major challenges over the coming months will be to find venture capital companies that will put their trust and their funding into the start-up and its development. “Specifically this will allow us to adapt our internal processes to meet regulatory requirements and to finish developing our clinical demonstrator,” explains Moritz Spiller. Clinical studies, certification processes and achieving visibility are now on the agenda. For example, by taking part in the annual biomedical technology conference in Hanover where SURAG was rated “most popular start-up” by the participants and by joining in the Start-up Safari Saxony-Anhalt. At this annual event for the local start-up scene, organized by the FOUND IT! start-up center of the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and the venture capital company bmp Venture AG, the Magdeburg team presented their business idea in a pitch as part of the Fight Club in the boxing ring in Bernburg (Saale).

The vision is a platform technology with a variety of applications

The start-up from Saxony-Anhalt is never reticent about its long-term vision: “As a platform technology, SURAG can be adapted to a variety of applications,” says Spiller, who has chosen Magdeburg as his home. The team already has five applications in the pipeline and the potential is almost limitless, with 20 million needle interventions being carried out worldwide every year, alongside 13 million laparoscopies, 21,000 deployments of surgical robots by 2030 and four million knee arthroscopies.

Author: Manuela Bock

Caption: The SURAG prototype. ((c) SURAG Medical GmbH)

Vitruvia GmbH

Making Cutting-Edge Medtech Affordable

Swiss firm Vitruvia GmbH is Europe’s leading specialist in cleaning systems for surgical robots, and has now relocated its head office to Schönebeck

As a service provider that cleans and sterilizes hospital medical devices, hygiene is Vitruvia’s number one priority. Now based in Schönebeck on the left bank of the Elbe in Saxony-Anhalt, the company has launched an industry-first: AI-controlled cleaning systems for robot-assisted surgical instruments.

The use of medical products and technology in operating theaters is highly resource-intensive, and subject to stringent quality and safety standards. Single-use accessories must be thrown away. Yet healthcare, too, can embrace the circular economy, says Rainer Grabow, Managing Director at Swiss-German enterprise Vitruvia GmbH, which uses cutting-edge technology to clean, disinfect and sterilize hospital equipment.

Vitruvia has now relocated its head office to Schönebeck, near Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt, a decision that Grabow partly attributes to the region’s excellent transport links and skilled labor. The company’s new Circular Clinic Supply Center for robot-assisted surgical instruments is scheduled for completion by mid-2020, initially providing 15 jobs. “As in other sectors, robotics is revolutionizing medicine,” he says, adding that Vitruvia intends to secure its position in this burgeoning global market. As Europe’s leading service provider, it now specializes in cleaning systems for surgical robots.

Patient protection, resource efficiency and waste prevention

At its new head office in Schönebeck, the specialist in circular systems for surgical applications is investing €2.5 million in a 21,500 sq. ft. best-practice facility. The center will decontaminate, clean, sterilize and test highly complex robot-assisted devices before preparing them for reuse. “Medical accessories can actually be cleaned so thoroughly that we can even make single-use products sterile for reuse,” says Grabow. He’s referring to the circular economy model: “Patient protection, resource efficiency and waste prevention.” When the devices reach the end of their service life they can also be recycled and fed back into the manufacturing system as raw materials. Lastly, medical technology costs a huge amount of money. “We aim to make modern medtech affordable by supporting it with the latest technologies and processes,” says Grabow.

As an industry pioneer, Vitruvia invests heavily in research and software development, and sees great promise in artificial intelligence. According to Grabow, “AI self-teaching methods are ideal for optimizing the sensor-controlled reprocessing of surgical robots.” Vitruvia carries out R&D with a variety of partners including the Technical University of Berlin and Jena University Hospital. Once the Schönebeck facility is up and running, the company also plans to link up with Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg, which runs an international study program in Medical Systems Engineering. “Vitruvia will be able to support undergrad and postgrad theses or provide project topics, for example,” says Grabow.

Cleaning in compliance with European hygiene standards

The company develops its own applications using algorithms and machine-learning strategies so that it can automate process parameter adjustments and ensure its cleaning processes meet the most stringent EU hygiene standards. Vitruvia also provides hospitals with comprehensive documentation on the individual process steps. Grabow cites the highly complex surgical instruments used in the da Vinci Surgical System – electronic and mechanical control units, cables and bolted robotic arms. “These instruments are hard to clean, so we’re developing our own process using ultra-pure water, ultra-pure air in cleanrooms, and sterile compressed air for drying. Our goal is a totally sterile process environment.”

Once the Schönebeck facility goes live, Vitruvia intends to expand its customer base in Germany and other European countries. Grabow sets out the next steps: “We also plan to expand our service portfolio to cover medical devices for general surgery and heart surgery, endoscopes, and across-the-board recycling.”

Author: Kathrain Graubaum

Sophisticated tubing

Sophisticated tubing for innovative medical technology

Novoplast in Halberstadt is one of the most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany

Plastic hoses are an indispensable part of medical technology. From injection tubes to intelligent catheters, the products are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Novoplast Schlauchtechnik GmbH in Halberstadt is a specialist in this field and a development partner for the manufacturers of medical devices.

“The tubes which pump an X-ray contrast medium into the blood vessels are under high pressure,” says Martin Oye, before telling us that the pressure can amount to 83 bars. After all, the medium has to be distributed to the finest capillaries. He compares this with the air pressure in a bicycle tyre, which averages just 25 to 30 bars. With hearing aids, on the other hand – he takes one, which is tiny, from the shelf – it is important that the plastic tubes are barely visible, but that they can transmit sounds exceptionally well

The plastic tubes manufactured by Novoplast Schlauchtechnik GmbH in Halberstadt have a diameter of 0.1 to 50 millimetres and offer a wide range of applications. Martin Oye is responsible for the sales of the medical technology, 60 percent of which is sold in Germany. 40 percent are exported, mainly within Europe. “We work individually for our customers and develop products according to their requirements,” explains Martin Oye, telling us why Novoplast doesn’t have a product catalogue in the conventional sense. In addition to the aforementioned application in hearing aids and for injections of X-ray contrast media, the tubes are also used in infusion and endoscopic devices as well as for enteral nutrition. The company’s customers include well-known manufacturers of medical end-products. Oye discusses their long-standing business relationships and the high level of trust afforded in Novoplast as a development partner. “The customers appreciate our flexibility, our certified production processes and the technical expertise of our employees,” highlights the sales manager.

It is a region in which medical technology has a long tradition

As an example of the special developments, Martin Oye demonstrates the multi-chamber tube for a venous catheter. It transports three different substances which should not mix, but which should be administered to the patient at the same time. The double lumen tube, which finds use in ophthalmology, for example, has a similar design. It can be used to suck out and flush in liquid simultaneously.

These tubes are made in the clean rooms of the Halberstadt company on state-of-the-art extrusion lines or assembled with other components. “Precision and hygiene are the top priorities when it comes to the manufacturing of products that have medical approval,” says Oye, before offering an invitation to take a tour of the company. 120 employees work here: Process mechanics for plastics and rubber technology, business economists and the production team.

Novoplast Schlauchtechnik GmbH belongs to the Masterflex Group, a world market leader in the field of technical tubing and connections. The family business from Gelsenkirchen was still very young when the Berlin wall fell in 1989. It had been founded just two years earlier – and got into contact with “Polyplast Halberstadt” through the newly opened German border. The company first began to acquire expertise in the field of medical technology in the 1960s. With a wealth of technical experience and with a certain degree of start-up enthusiasm, the then “Polyplast” experts were convinced to co-found Novoplast Schlauchtechnik.

For Martin Oye, the first chapter of the company is local history, so to speak, although he was too young to be able to experience it first hand. After graduating from grammar school in 2002, the native of Halberstadt followed his parents. They were seeking work, and ended up in the Black Forest. After graduating in Business Administration, that was where Martin Oye stayed, working in the international sales department of a Tuttlingen-based medical technology company. When the much-travelled young man was on the look out for a new professional challenge in 2015, however, he found his way to Masterflex Group – and back to his roots in the Harz Mountains.

A fusion between diagnosis and therapy

As the website of Novoplast Schlauchtechnik says, “We bestow every tube with its own very special character”. So, manufacturing tubes is about more than just colour, diameter and shape. The focus is on modified material properties. Consistently interested in the transfer of knowledge, Novoplast maintains contacts with the Otto-von-Guericke-University OvGU in Magdeburg, the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS in Halle (Saale) as well as with innovative companies in the regions around Halle and Magdeburg. Some 75 companies from the medical technology sector are located in Saxony-Anhalt.

The testing of materials and material combinations is a future-oriented topic, says Martin Oye, referring to the bio-compatibility of plastic components. Above all else, artificial intelligence is also an innovation driver in the field of medical technology. The Chair for Intelligent Catheters (INKA) at OvGU is the perfect place for a lively exchange of knowledge.

The Novoplast sales manager keeps a close eye on the market developments. He can see the ever closer fusion between diagnosis and therapy. And he can also see the demand for absorbent materials and ever smaller instruments. ““It is frequently the case that tubing technology is also indirectly affected by these developments,” the expert knows and is already beginning to think about the possible paths to new “special markets”. He is happy to follow the futurologists and their visions on the ways in which medicine will develop over the next 10, 20 or 30 years. Martin Oye considers Novoplast Schlauchtechnik to be an active co-creator. “For the second time since 2016, we are one of the most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany,” he says, proudly announcing the result of this year’s TOP 100 innovation competition. The Masterflex Group convinced the jury in the category of “Innovative processes and organisation”.

First hybrid ambulance

Saving lives with design - the ambulance of the future fulfils this task. Ambulanz Mobile from Schönebeck contributes a large part of this. The company develops unique ambulance vehicle concepts. An aerodynamic roof structure with an integrated blue light not only ensures a modern and elegant look, but also saves a good two litres of fuel per 100 kilometres.

But lives are saved only indirectly. The interior of the emergency vehicles is the actual safety factor. Accessories for the assistants are stored safely and easily accessible and make the TIGIS ambulance developed in Schönebeck one of the safest in all of Europe. Not only the designs of the vehicles are trend-setting. In cooperation with the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg Ambulanz Mobile develops the first ambulance with hybrid engine for the rescue mission of tomorrow.

> see video

Digital doctor-patient communication

Innocon Systems from Tangermünde develops innovative IT for the healthcare sector

Digitalisation is providing the opportunity for more efficient work-flows in the healthcare sector and for higher patient satisfaction – an area of application in which the company Innocon Systems GmbH has considerable experience. The company based in Tangermünde develops innovative software solutions for hospitals.

“The general population is becoming more aware of health issues,” says Hagen Woecht. He discusses the changing role of patients, something to which doctors, practices and hospitals are increasingly adapting. After all, patients who take the initiative to find out about health-related topics also want to be treated as mature patients. Hagen Woecht has a degree in IT and considers digitalisation to present a considerable opportunity for resolving this task, which is no longer something for the future. His company Innocon Systems GmbH, in Tangermünde, develops innovative software solutions, principally for the healthcare sector. “Our programs function without a keyboard or mouse, using barcodes, wireless recognition or mobile devices,” explains Woecht.

The efficiency of the work processes also takes centre stage for his customers in the healthcare sector. Innocon Systems has developed “medpaper” to reduce handwritten work to a minimum. The “medpaper” are self-generating digital documents for the purposes of information, treatment or documentation. A program would collect all the information about a patient that has already been provided and create a new document on the basis of the new requirements.

“Medpaper has grown into paperless patient documentation for the tablet,” says Hagen Woecht, before turning to another example of efficiency: The transport service at Münster University Hospital is now able to register radiological patients at the patient terminal by barcode scan. Patients with an appointment can also register there. This frees up space at the reception desk. “Our ‘transport routing’ has been running in test mode in Münster for half a year,” says the IT expert and laughs: no, he isn’t one of those who writes unrealistic programs which are unsuitable for practical applications. On the contrary, he’s an insider.

An IT expert who is familiar with hospital processes

During his period of civilian service at Stendal hospital in the early 1990s, the young man’s skills were recognised and put to use with the objective of making the IT fit for the new era. Long before he owned his first computer, he wrote simple programs on paper without being able to put them to the test. This did not detract from his enthusiasm though, and culminated in an apprenticeship as an electronics technician. Hagen Woecht is proud of his correspondence course at Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg, from which he graduated with a degree in IT in 2006.

In 2010, Hagen Woecht founded Innocon Systems GmbH – together with two other partners – equipped with his experience as an IT manager at Stendal Hospital and as planner in an engineering company which completed a lot of work for hospitals. His team includes computer scientists, software developers, project managers and account managers who are currently working on some 40 projects from the base in Tangermünde. Although the customers also come from the world of industry, they are mainly from hospitals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Hagen Woecht visits them on site; he gets a picture of their work processes. The Radiology Department of the University Hospital Zurich wanted to reduce the number of failed examinations due to missed appointments. “Sometimes radioactive contrast media are ordered especially for the patient and expire after a short time. This also results in a financial loss,” says Hagen Woecht. Innocon Systems has developed software that automatically reminds the patient of the appointment by text message. This software is now being used by the Radiology Department at the Charité hospital in Berlin, too.

webOrder communication portal in pilot use

As a software developer, you have to be extremely agile and find a solution to a problem very rapidly, explains Woecht. In this respect, two companies have been particularly reliable partners for his requirements: GE Healthcare, a subsidiary of General Electrics, is a leading provider of healthcare IT solutions, and Nexus AG, which supplies cutting edge IT applications to hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and retirement homes throughout Europe.

The willingness of physicians to include their patients in the treatment and to give them a variety of information rights is driving the demand for software-based solutions, explains the boss of Innocon. Another innovative product from his company is “webOrder”. The communication portal can be accessed by PC, mobile phone or tablet. It is in pilot operation at the Altmark-Klinikum with sites at Salzwedel and Gardelegen. The clinic enables its patients to access diagnoses, doctor’s letters and X-ray images securely via the Internet. If the patient is admitted to the hospital, the information and medical history forms can be filled out electronically at home. For this project, not to mention others, Innocon Systems GmbH was awarded the Altmark Business Prize in the “Services” category in 2016. “We have had new products for a long time with which we can take part in the competition again,” says Hagen Woecht, adding that this business award not only helps to raise the profile of the winner, but also that of the region. Woecht describes himself as someone who is committed to his region of the Altmark. Whenever he embarks on a business trip, he speaks highly of its attractive attributes as a location for living and business.