Optiscan Imaging has strengthened its mission aimed at breaking into the United States health market with its “ViewnVivo” technology by putting two key personnel on the ground on that country’s respective east and west coasts.
The strategic staffing move comes after a sale of the company’s research device to an undisclosed major American pharmaceutical company led to a 66 per cent revenue boost to nearly $1.7 million in the past financial year. Management today confirmed it had appointed experienced industry identities Tim Rowe and Shayra Leon in business development manager roles to help grow ViewnVivo and the company’s life sciences business through the US and Canada.
Incorporating Optiscan’s patented confocal imaging, ViewnVivo is a miniaturised in vivo device that offers single-cell 3D live microscopic imaging in the palm of the operator’s hand. In essence, the pen-sized digital microscope offers the power of real-time 3D single-cell imaging designed to help medical practitioners detect diseases earlier in a patient and also better manage them, while reducing the high costs of curative medicine and associated procedures.
The company says it has made its new appointments in a bid to foster further breakthroughs for its technology in the lucrative US healthcare sector.
These appointments reflect significant structuring and resourcing of our organisation in the US. Their appointments signal the first stage of talent acquisition for our US operational structure, and we look forward to further expanding the team as our plans for US collaboration and commercialization continue. Optiscan Imaging chief executive officer and managing director Dr Camile Farah
Mr Rowe has previous industry experience working for Japanese high-performance scientific instruments and analytical solutions company Horiba Scientific. Ms Leon, a graduate in microbiology, has a background that includes time with Oregon-based medical innovator Lumencor.
Optiscan chairman Robert Cooke said the appointment of the pair pointed to a conscious “direct-market” business model in the US, Which also included a commercial hub in Minnesota.
Dr Farah said last month that the company aimed to bring pathologists closer to clinicians and surgeons to bridge the gap of time, distance and accuracy in clinical diagnosis and surgical intervention. Management is also reviewing feedback from the powerful US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of its “InVivage” imaging device for oral cancer screening.
And in the meantime, it is putting its money where its mouth is by expanding its global staffing footprint.
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