Liver exam device set for wider markets

A domestically developed liver disease detection medical device with world-leading technology is expected to intensify market competition to the benefit of hundreds of millions of patients.

As the world's first image-guided noninvasive liver fibrosis diagnostic system, FibroTouch can complete a liver examination in two minutes and give grading of liver fibrosis and severity of fatty levels immediately, which helps early detection, early prevention of liver diseases and enables the early treatment of chronic liver diseases, according to the company.

"Traditional invasive methods, such as biopsies, are widely used to detect liver fibrosis," said Shao Jinhua, co-founder and general manager of Hisky Med in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, the developer of the device.

"However, such methods may bring secondary damage to the patient and the whole process is uncomfortable," he said.

In addition to the advantages of low cost and easy operation, the system can provide quantitative results. Besides that, the repeatability can help doctors carry out comparisons and long-term systematic observations.

According to the company, the examination results of liver tissue are as accurate as those of liver biopsies.

Thus far, about 400 hospitals and medical institutions in China have used the FibroTouch products.

Shao said their goal is to expand the number to 1,000 by 2017.

China is a high-incidence country for liver disease, with about 90 million people carrying hepatitis B virus, according to a report by the Chinese Medicine Study Society.

The direct medical costs for treating hepatitis B, a major liver disease in China, exceed 100 billion yuan ($15.3 billion) annually, which makes relevant companies pay great attention to this market, and also creates fierce market competition.

In 2014, Hisky Med was entangled in disputes with Shanghai Echosens Co, a subsidiary of French Echosens Co, over intellectual property.

In a ruling announced earlier this year, the court recognized Hisky Med's status as the developer of the world's first image-guided noninvasive liver fibrosis diagnostic system FibroTouch, although it said there had been controversy in the advertising of FibroTouch products.

"Our company has already made adjustment on the controversial wording in the ads," Shao said. "In the subsequent business operation, we will pay attention to the expression in our advertising to avoid controversy."

He also said the verdict and controversy didn't have any impact on the company's R&D or the IP rights of its core products.

"The production, sales and marketing promotion of FibroTouch products, as well as our dealers and users have not been affected by this case," Shao said.

wanghongyi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/11/2016 page17)