MichBio Forms Medical Device Advocacy Committee

MichBio, the Ann Arbor-based advocacy group for Michigan’s life-science companies, announced that it has formed a Medical Devices, Technology & Manufacturing Committee.

Stephen Rapundalo, president and CEO of MichBio, said the committee would be a “natural extension of the advocacy role that MichBio has been playing at the national level on behalf of the state’s medical device companies and a reflection of the device sector’s impact to Michigan’s bio-industry overall. We need to ensure that our device manufacturing sector has the right and collective support to succeed.”

The mission of the Medical Devices, Technology & Manufacturing Committee is to, according to a press release issued by the association, “foster a competitive business environment in Michigan that supports the lasting sustainability of medical device companies from initial concept and commercialization to manufacturing and market, while providing a means for those companies to network, build community, and access resources to grow.”

The committee will be charged with assisting MichBio to understand and document regional medical device development capabilities, access to sector resources like prototyping and product development support, manufacturing capacity, suppliers and clinical development support. In addition, the group will work with the state’s medical devices companies to identify company needs and growth opportunities, and take steps to help maximize Michigan’s potential to attract and develop medical device companies, along with an experienced talent pool.

The new group will be chaired by Kevin McLeod, managing director of the Michigan Medical Device Accelerator located in Kalamazoo, Mich.

“MichBio is in the perfect position to lead Michigan’s medical devices community given its broad understanding of the state’s device companies, their resource needs, and opportunities for sector growth,” McLeod said.

Membership in the committee will include representatives from a variety of device firms such as Terumo and Stryker, start-ups and contract manufacturers, as well as other regional and state-based stakeholder groups such as Oakland County’s Office of Economic Development and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation that are current members of MichBio.