“Companies showed up at COMPAMED to prove that they are innovative forces to be reckoned with and to demonstrate that they are strong partners for the medical technology industry in this market environment, which is becoming increasingly demanding,” states Wolfram Diener, Operative Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf. This trade fair, which always takes place alongside MEDICA, the world’s largest medical trade fair that just broke its own record by hosting 5,500 exhibitors, this year’s COMPAMED also reached new highs by welcoming almost 800 exhibitors from 41 countries (held from November 18 – 21, 2019). Halls 8a and 8b at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany were fully booked, again confirming COMPAMED’s position as an internationally leading supplier platform. Once again, essential medical technology trends were reflected along with their relevance for upstream development and manufacturing stages and the supplier’s role as an important pace setter for medical advancement was highlighted.

Digitalization remained a clear trend in the medical technology industry. The digital sphere is indispensable for medical technology devices for mobile diagnostics, therapy and laboratory equipment. “Microtechnology is the key to digitalization in medical technology,” emphasizes Dr. Thomas Dietrich, Executive Director of the IVAM Microtechnology Network. “Wearable and networked devices simply wouldn’t exist without miniaturized components and procedures that enable ultra-precise manufacturing to be carried out”, he continued. As a result, the demand for miniaturization of medical components continues to experience rapid growth. This is why most of the 55 exhibitors at the biggest joint stand at COMPAMED, “Hightech for Medical Devices” from the IVAM market place, work in this sector. Focal points for the product market include microfluidics, sensor technology, microelectronics and optic technology. Microfluidics in particular generates exciting new applications.

A revolution in cell culture

IVAM member Micronit has promised no less than a revolution in cell culture, brought about by its new hybrid systems: A multidisciplinary field has been developed under the “Organ on a chip” concept. Here, human cell biology and microfluidics are merged together on lab-on-a-chip architecture. Organ-on-a-chip devices consist of a microfluidic platform that the user manipulates to tailor-make a highly biomimetic system in an artificial environment. The cell culture chips simulate the physiological reactions of organs. These types of applications are the fastest-growing research areas in the life science and pharmaceutical industries. The relevant devices from Micronit have already been used in many research laboratories all over the world and have proven that they are perfect for creating artificial models in the field, including colon and kidney models. “The systems for these are often constructed using different materials such as glass, silicon and polymers; hybrids such as these are part of our core business skill set”, stated Remy Wiertz, Key Account Manager at Micronit.

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