Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng trying out a 4D-printed remouldable cast during a tour at the official launch of MedTech Catapult at Biopolis on Feb 12. — The Straits Times
SINGAPORE: To help boost Singapore’s medical technology sector, a newly launched initiative will connect medtech companies with local partners to innovate and scale up production.
MedTech Catapult, a S$38mil national initiative hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research or A*Star, aims to speed up the development and commercialisation of life science instruments and medical devices.
Its goal is to connect product owners with contract manufacturers, identify high-value project ideas and translate these ideas into commercial products.
MedTech Catapult officially launched at the Biopolis biomedical research and development centre on Wednesday, but has been operating since April 2024.
In MedTech Catapult’s first year, it has supported projects such as a 4D-printed remouldable short arm cast for wrist fractures by Castomize, a spin-off from the Singapore University of Technology and Design that develops remouldable casts used to support injured bones.
So-called 4D-printing combines 3D-printing technology with smart materials that can change shapes or properties over time in response to external stimuli, like heat, light and moisture.
MedTech Catapult also supported a kidney-stone treatment where patient outcomes are enhanced via an intelligent system that was developed by Dornier MedTech, in partnership with A*Star and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.
The system supports laser lithotripsy, a procedure that uses a laser to break up stones in the urinary tract.
In Asia alone, the medtech sector is projected to grow from US$164bil today to over US$225bil in 2030, according to the Economic Development Board’s or EDB estimates.
It is an important growth sector for Singapore, said Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng, speaking at the launch of MedTech Catapult. — The Straits Times/ANN
