Intellectualization is the trend in the development of medical devices. The value of medical imaging AI solutions is to enable junior radiologists to work more efficiently and in quality and further improve the accessibility and equity of the medical resource allocation.
Guangzhou Perception Vision Medical Technologies(Chinese: 广州柏视医疗科技有限公司, hereinafter referred to as 'PVmed') completed the Series A+ financing round exclusively invested by Beijing JHF Investment Management (Chinese: 北京金慧丰投资管理有限公司).
The funds raised in this round will be mainly used for the continuous R&D, and production landing of multi-pipelines and will also actively promote the overseas market. In addition, PVmed will launch a Series B round of financing, and Zero2IPO capital (Chinese: 清科资本) will serve as the financial advisor.
Founded in 2017, PVmed is a medical imaging AI solutions startup with intellectual property rights. At present, all the products possessed by the company have acquired the Medical Device Registration Certificate from the National Medical Product Administration (NMPA). And PVmed has ambitious to enter the international market. It has passed FDA's Premarket Notification (510 (k)) evaluation In December 2021.
Miniaturization and intellectualization are the future of medical imaging. On August 22, Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare (Chinese: 联影医疗) was listed on China's Nasdaq-style sci-tech innovation board and breaking the initial public offering (IPO) records of the scientific innovation board since the beginning of 2022.
The total fund-raising reached CNY 10.988 billion (USD 1.6 billion). It surpassed the IPO capital raising record created by Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics (Chinese: 迈瑞医疗) in 2018 (CNY 5.934 billion) and became the largest medical device IPO in China. It was breaking the current spell of falling on its first day of trading in Shanghai， United Imaging rise by nearly 70%, with a total market value of nearly CNY 150 billion.
However, according to a survey by EqualOcean, the tertiary hospital charged only 3% - 4% of the patients for AI-powered medical imaging services. The industry insider revealed that the barrier is other than the approval from NMPA but to dig out whom to charge and how to charge.
China's recognition of the value of independent software is relatively low. Software and hardware still need to be bundled together for sale, and the tangible value is generally accepted.
But the good thing is that we find the recognition and acceptance of AI image technology by grass-roots general practitioners in China are increased. EqualOcean believes that with the efforts of all stakeholders, and in the context of developing science and technology, improving national competitiveness and making medical resources more accessible and equitable, this kind of valuable technology will eventually be implemented and scale up rapidly.