Medovate and Vygon sign SAFIRA device distribution deal

Medical device company Medovate and Vygon Group, a group specialising in single-use medical devices, have signed an exclusive deal to distribute SAFIRA (SAFer Injection for Regional Anaesthesia) across 60 countries.

Vygon will start a phased launch of SAFIRA in Europe at the end of 2020, with other global markets to follow.

Developed in collaboration with NHS clinicians, SAFIRA transforms the technique of Peripheral Nerve Blockade into a one-person procedure, giving the anaesthetist full control of the injection at all times. This technology also helps reduce the risk of nerve damage, as it prevents anaesthetic from being injected at high pressures. Furthermore, economic modelling has shown SAFIRA has the potential to help generate significant time and cost savings in a medical setting.

Stuart Thomson, managing director, Medovate, said: “This agreement with Vygon marks a significant milestone in the launch of SAFIRA across Europe, the US and a number of other markets. This will help establish Medovate on the world stage as a recognised medical device developer and manufacturer. In addition, it raises the international profile of the UK NHS and its clinicians, who are key stakeholders in Medovate and inventors of the SAFIRA innovation.”

Amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, the European Society for Regional Anaesthesia (ESRA) has recommended that regional anaesthesia be considered whenever surgery is planned for a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patient. Regional anaesthesia preserves respiratory function and avoids aerosolization and the potential for transmission of COVID-19, compared to general anaesthesia. By making regional anaesthesia a one-person procedure SAFIRA helps hospitals meet these recent recommendations. 

Vygon is an independent French medical device company. It supplies more than 205 million products globally per year. A leader in the regional anaesthesia arena, it is well placed to ensure SAFIRA – which recently attained EU CE regulatory approval – achieves its maximum reach and potential across Europe and beyond. Medovate develops new technologies created through its development pipeline of NHS innovations, with a focus on anaesthesia, airway, critical care and surgery.

John Kerridge, vice president, anaesthesia & emergency business unit, Vygon, said: “This is a very exciting partnership for Vygon. The SAFIRA technology, in terms of its impact on patient safety and clinical end-user efficiency, is in-line with our overall objective of patient/practitioner-based healthcare solutions. The fact that in the very near future the SAFIRA technology will be available in NRFit format further supports this objective. It will enable us to offer a complete NRFit solution for those markets that demand it.”