The editorial team of Medical Product Outsourcing reached out to several companies who were exhibiting at Medica or Compamed in case you’re unable to see them at the event or are not headed to Germany this year. Review the following questions we served up to Sanna Severins, senior manager, strategic marketing at DSM Biomedical and see if the company is a potential manufacturing partner for you.
 
MPO: What technology or service are you emphasizing at Medica this year?
Sanna Severins: We will showcase our total biomedical product and technology portfolio, which is the broadest in the field. Via communications (press-release and whitepaper), we recently announced (Nov. 9) a new development with our partner, Meister, who is able to make sutures from our medical-grade Dyneema Purity Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers.
 
Late last month, DSM also released a communication on the preclinical and clinical results on its Dyneema Purity membrane, as an alternative to ePTFE for use in the design of stent grafts.
 
MPO: What’s the most common challenge customers inquire about and how do you address it?
Severins: Our customers have specific material related challenges, based on their device design requirements. As DSM represents the broadest portfolio in the biomedical space, we always try to learn more about their challenges to see whether we can offer one material solution or multiple materials. In the cardiovascular arena, there is a constant drive for miniaturization, resulting in material requests for thin medical-grade fibers to meet these design requirements. Our Dyneema Purity fiber is low profile, yet strong and can answer these requests. We also receive medical coating requests in the cardiovascular field for lubricious coatings to reduce friction and also address the trend of miniaturization, as catheters need to go through thinner vessels.
 
MPO: If you could give one piece of advice to companies seeking a manufacturing partner before they make a decision, what would it be?
Severins: When selecting a partner, ensure that they:
Meet all requirements for manufacturing of medical devices and have an extensive track-record in this field.
Are not only offering one solution, but can support them with a broad range of solutions and in-depth material expertise.
Have an extended support network of both internal experts as well as external connections, ensuring the result can be innovative/solution driven and agile.
 
MPO: What are the forces driving medical device manufacturers to seek your technology/services over doing it in-house?
Severins: Although there are many forces driving the medical device company (MDC) (e.g., increasing healthcare costs, consolidation throughout the value chain, aging population), the driving force for them to come to seek our support is their internal R&D contraction, forcing them to look externally for partners that have strong expertise in material knowhow and development. This allows MDCs to focus on their core competences and activities, which is typically not in material science, like DSM has.
 
MPO: In what ways is your company able to aid in getting a product (project) to market faster?
Severins: All our products are medical-grade, have Material Master Files, and where required, meet specific ASTM standards. With this support, MDCs can speed up their regulatory pathway. Our dedicated sales, application development, and R&D teams ensure our clients will be supported in meeting their development timelines and launch date.
 
If you're interested in following up with DSM Biomedical at the event, you’ll find them in Compamed at hall/booth 8A/K28.