Endoscopic ultrasound diagnostic equipment has a new member! How can domestic products compete with imported ones?

Recently, the National Medical Products Administration approved the registration application for the innovative product "Endoscopic Ultrasound Diagnostic Equipment" produced by Shenzhen Inmed Medical Technology Co., Ltd.

According to the introduction, this product is the first domestically produced endoscopic ultrasound diagnostic equipment. It uses independently developed high-frequency ultrasound hardware, miniature imaging probes, and high-performance software architecture and new image processing technology. This can greatly improve the quality of endoscopic ultrasound images, helping to detect early digestive tract tumors and improve patient survival rates.

Inmed Miniaturized High-Frequency Ultrasound Probe

Industry insiders said that Inmed is the third company in the world to produce miniaturized high-frequency ultrasound probes after Olympus and Fujifilm. Its miniaturized high-frequency ultrasound probe has a frequency exceeding 20MHz. The product has overcome four major technical difficulties: structural design, core consumables, algorithm design, and combination stability. 90% of the core technology has been independently developed, forming certain technological and commercial barriers.Currently, the product is applying for EU CE certification and will be circulated in overseas markets in the future.

Endoscopic ultrasound and puncture biopsy can be used as a supplement to clarify the diagnosis when other traditional puncture methods cannot be used in adjacent organs of the digestive tract. It screens for lesions in deep parts of the submucosa and mucosa that are difficult to reach, achieving precise diagnosis of early digestive tract tumors.

Clinical findings show that more than 20% of abnormal masses in patients are located in the superficial submucosa. In the affected areas such as the stomach, intestines, and pancreas, ordinary endoscopy can only make a preliminary diagnosis of surface tumors (masses), and the effect of judging submucosal masses is very poor. Endoscopic ultrasound is an effective way to diagnose submucosal tumors.

Established Optical Giants Monopolize the Market

In the global endoscopic ultrasound field, core technologies are currently monopolized by leading Japanese optical companies. In addition to Inmed, which was approved for listing this time, there are three Japanese companies, Olympus, Fujifilm, and Pentax, that already have products on the market.

In China, Kailite Medical is the first medical device company with the ability to research and manufacture high-end ultrasound and high-end electronic endoscopes. In 2019, Kailite Medical launched the annular array endoscopic ultrasound EG-UR5 and obtained the EU CE certification registration certificate;In the first half of this year, Kailite Medical's convex array endoscopic ultrasound EG-UC5T also obtained EU CE certification. Currently, Kailite Medical's endoscopic ultrasound products have started domestic registration, and are expected to be launched in the next 1-2 years.

Currently, the Price of mainstream endoscopic ultrasound equipment in the domestic market exceeds 3.5 million yuan, and it is only used in tertiary hospitals. Industry insiders revealed that when purchasing the same product from a foreign Brand, more hardware "packages" are often required, thus increasing the Price.It is reported that the unit Price of Inmed's "Endoscopic Ultrasound Diagnostic Equipment" is slightly lower than that of foreign Brands, which is conducive to popularization and reduces the financial pressure on hospitals at all levels.

However, established companies such as Olympus and Fujifilm pay more attention to market education and have launched training programs for endoscopists in China, building trust between doctors, patients, and products. Currently, Olympus medical technology training centers have been established in many parts of China, and Olympus trains at least 5,000 primary care physicians each year. These trained physicians will also choose and trust equipment from Brands like Olympus when using the equipment.

In the future, the market needs domestic endoscopic ultrasound equipment to fill the gap in the domestic market and allow patients to enjoy more cost-effective products. For domestic companies, they still need to invest technology and capital to improve the performance of endoscopic ultrasound products and increase market promotion efforts.

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