Georgia Launches Medtech Center

Four of Georgia’s research and healthcare organizations have teamed up to create a center that will speed up the development and commercialization of medical devices, according to a statement released by Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue.

The governor made the announcement last week during a press conference at the 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta.

Supported by the Georgia Institute of Technology, Saint Joseph’s Translational Research Institute (SJTRI), Piedmont Healthcare and the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), the new center will bring together a universities, research centers and clinicians; established drug and device companies; investors, and start-up companies.

The new center will include a medical device prototyping center and have the capability to produce evaluation devices using “good manufacturing practices” mandated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). It will also be able to manage, coordinate and aggregate intellectual property from the partner organizations and interested private companies.

Because of the research strengths of the partnering institutions, the center’s initial focus is expected to include devices and technologies in cardiology, orthopedics and pediatrics.