Livac Pty Ltd has announced the appointment of MediFocus Co. Ltd as exclusive distributor of its surgical device technology in South Korea with the company already placing an initial sales order.
Based in Seoul, MediFocus has worked closely with Livac over the last 12 months to register the device with the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and will draw on their local expertise and established network with surgeons and hospitals to provide distribution, regulatory and sales support. Livac will provide remote training to MediFocus staff and surgeons as well as ongoing support to the distributor.
Korea represents a significant opportunity for Livac Pty Ltd with approximately 150 general hospitals with laparoscopic surgeons, 80% of these surgeries performed in and around the Seoul area. An estimated 160,000 cholecystectomies and 1,700 bariatric procedures are undertaken in Korea per annum – both key indications for use of the device.
The Korean market is also one of many Asian markets concerned with patient cosmesis following surgery – that is, the preference for minimising scarring. Unlike other surgical retractors, the LiVac Retractor requires one less surgical incision supporting the minimally invasive surgical approach common in these markets.
August 2019, MediFocus visit to Melbourne to conduct an audit of our manufacturing facilities. This photo was taken at a local South Yarra Korean restaurant.
From left to right: Jeanette Lodge – Livac Quality & Regulatory Affairs; Hans Chung – CEO, MediFocus; Jung Woo Choi – Korean regulatory advisor; Dr Anabela Correia – CEO, Livac.