22 Groundbreaking MedTech Innovations Unveiled: China's Hardcore Leap in Global Healthcare

Frequently emerging hard-core technologies made in China are reshaping the innovation landscape of the global medical industry.

In recent years, with the accumulation of experience in innovative drug development, projects for domestically produced innovative drugs have been emerging continuously, and many companies have successfully "gone global." In 2023, the going-global trend for China-produced innovative drugs reached an unprecedented peak. The number and value of License-out deals by local pharmaceutical enterprises repeatedly hit new highs, while cases of independent expansion abroad also kept emerging. At one point, three China-developed new drugs were approved for marketing by the FDA in a single month.

Innovation in medical devices is equally impressive, with 61 innovative medical device equipment approved in 2023, marking another record high. Moreover, an increasing number of high-quality domestically produced devices are also making their way overseas. In 2023, the export value of Chinese medical devices reached 18.418 billion US dollars, with a significant increase in the export growth rate of high-value medical devices.

These undoubtedly reveal a message to us: many of China's medical products have gained the strength to compete on the same stage as the strongest global competitors, and a new era of medical innovation has arrived.

Over the past decade, VCBeat has been focusing on the innovative development of the healthcare industry. During the 8th Future Healthcare Ecosystem Exhibition, we also released the "Healthcare Industry Innovation Power Product List" to the industry for the first time, showcasing China's innovation strength in the healthcare industry to the world. Among them,Up to 80% of the products and solutions are global first-release/first-innovative medical products.。

VCBeat also hosted a highly "hardcore" medical innovation product launch event during the same period, inviting 22 groundbreaking and innovative medical achievements to make their debut, collectively showcasing China's medical innovation strength.

The "hardcore" we are discussing is reflected not only in niche fields, such as high-end intelligent manufacturing and medical devices, but also in the products themselves. These products meet unmet clinical needs, possess technological advancement, high substitutability for domestically produced alternatives, fulfill unmet clinical demands, demonstrate global competitiveness, and exhibit a prominent industry leadership effect.

Nothing could be luckier than being a firsthand witness to monumental changes in an industry. Next, let us explore these innovative technologies and products together, and experience the power of Chinese innovation.

On the morning of August 9, a total of 11 medical innovation achievements were released.

Project 1: DK Medtech Peripheral Scoring Drug-Coated Balloon

DK Medtech, as a first-tier company in the hemodialysis access field, received NMPA approval in July 2023 for the world's first triple-combination peripheral scoring drug-coated balloon that integrates "high pressure, scoring, and drugs." This balloon achieves high expansion success rates through high burst pressure, reduces excessive vascular injury with scoring, and inhibits postoperative intimal hyperplasia with a drug coating, addressing multiple pain points with a single product.

Project 2: Gansu Jianshun Biosciences Co.,Ltd. Serum-Free Cell Culture Medium

Gansu Jianshun Biosciences Co., Ltd. was established in 2011 and became the first company in China to have its culture medium products certified as Class I medical devices. In the field of serum-free cell culture media, Jianshun Bio has independently designed a continuous pin-milling process production line. It has successively set up serum-free cell culture media bases in Lanzhou and Nantong, achieving domestic substitution in the cell culture media sector. A culture media factory that will serve the European and American markets is currently under construction.

Project Three: Kexier Medical Octoparms® Vena Cava Filter

Kosel Medical's Octoparms® Vena Cava Filter, approved by the National Medical Products Administration as the 116th innovative medical device, is the first domestically produced umbrella-shaped long-term retrievable vena cava filter in China. It can be implanted via the neck or femoral vein, featuring high stability, a long retrieval period, and ease of removal. Currently, it has been utilized in 1,300 terminal medical institutions across multiple provinces and cities in China, becoming a powerful tool for clinical VTE prevention and treatment.

Project Four: Character Intelligence Super Soft Robot Experimental Platform Super X-100

PinGo Intelligence Released the World’s First Ultra-Flexible Robotic Experiment Platform Designed for Flexible Testing: Super X-100. The product utilizes a magnetic levitation system to modularize experimental task components, integrating robotic technology and a digital brain to enable parallel processing and flexible switching of various experimental tasks. Through machine vision and remote control, the experimental process is digitally recorded, ensuring the authenticity, reliability, and validity of data information during the experiment.

Project Five: Cronos High-End Liquid Metal Bearing Ball Tube

Chronos自主研发的高端液态金属轴承球管，主要应用于中高端CT机。液态金属轴承能够极大提高CT球管各方面性能参数，满足医院更高通量检查、更长使用寿命、更好用户体验需求，实现细分赛道的中国生产替代。Chronos在中国上海和美国芝加哥拥有平行布局的研发与生产制造中心，且已在中国成功量产制造多品种CT球管。

Project Six: Chentian Technology Tongxing KidGo Pediatric Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Solution

Chengtian Technology's Tongxing KidGo Pediatric Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Solution is an intelligent rehabilitation training device designed to improve abnormal walking in children. It provides personalized gait training and engaging interactive experiences for children with walking difficulties. In 2023, it received the NMPA Class II Innovative Medical Device Registration Certificate and is compatible with both hospital and home application scenarios.

Project Seven: Puyi Bio Mid-Throughput Biological Nanopore Sequencing System PolyseqOne

The full-process domestically-produced biological nanopore sequencer launched by Puyi Biotech has broken through technical barriers, enabling isothermal control during the sequencing process with a temperature control accuracy of ± 0.1°C. Paired with the PolyseqCell mid-throughput sequencing chip that integrates new biological nanopore proteins, a high-precision sequencing biochemical system, and low-noise silicon-based circuits, it allows for rapid, flexible, and precise gene sequencing anytime and anywhere, whether in medical institutions or research laboratories.

Project Eight: Lingzhi Technology Desktop TFT-DNA Synthesizer

Leadzh Tech has developed the world's first TFT chip-based DNA synthesizer, leveraging the low cost and flexible area characteristics of TFT chips to achieve flexible throughput and yield technical parameters, compatible with various application scenarios including gene splicing, NGS panel production, high-throughput sequence library screening, single-cell, and spatial omics technologies. In February 2024, the first batch of products based on Leadzh Tech's TFT-DNA synthesis technology has been successfully delivered.

Project Nine: ChenAn Bio Polaris Starion M1.0 Flow Cytometry Mass Spectrometer

In March 2023, Polaris Starion M1.0 Flow Cytometry Mass Spectrometer from Chenan Biotechnology officially obtained the medical device registration certificate from the Jiangsu Provincial Medical Products Administration, becoming the world's first flow cytometry mass spectrometer that can be used for in vitro diagnostics. This marks an important milestone for flow mass spectrometry technology moving towards clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Project Ten: Kangwei Century's Helicobacter pylori Nucleic Acid Detection Kit "Kangjian You"

In 2023, "Kangjian You™," a Helicobacter pylori nucleic acid detection kit independently developed and produced by Century Kangwei, obtained the "Medical Device Registration Certificate" issued by the National Medical Products Administration. This is the first Class III registration certificate in China for Helicobacter pylori nucleic acid detection based on stool samples, filling an industry gap and making testing more accurate and convenient.

Project Eleven: Zhenyi Medical Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Edge-to-Edge Repair System

Zhenyi Medical's NeoBlazar® is an interventional repair device used to treat tricuspid regurgitation via a femoral approach. It has completed large-scale clinical enrollment. Based on current clinical data, the feedback has been positive. The device has also received special review as a National Innovative Medical Device by the NMPA and is currently the only treatment solution in China for tricuspid edge-to-edge repair, filling a clinical gap.

In the afternoon session, the conference showcased 11 medical innovation achievements.

Project Twelve: Super Dimensional Context In Vivo Two-Photon Microscopy Imaging System

In December 2023, Chaowei Jing's in vivo two-photon microscopy imaging system was approved for marketing. It is the first medical device in China based on the principle of two-photon microscopy imaging. This product introduces the cutting-edge two-photon microscopy imaging technology into the field of modern dermatological testing, achieving high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of skin cells and extracellular tissues that is "real-time, non-invasive, in vivo, in situ, and label-free."

Project Thirteen: BoShi Medical 577 Intelligent Navigation Laser Photocoagulator

BoSee Medical's self-developed Ranklight 577 Intelligent Navigation Laser Photocoagulation System for fundus treatment features proprietary high-precision eye-tracking technology and precise intelligent laser technology, improving the accuracy and intelligence of fundus laser treatments. As China’s first 577-wavelength fundus photocoagulation system with automatic navigation and tracking, it is expected to receive certification and launch in 2024.

Project 14: VASOLINE by Bai You Da^®Artificial Blood Vessel

Bayoda VASOLINE® Artificial Blood Vessel was approved by the National Medical Products Administration for a Class III medical device registration certificate in November 2022. The approval and market launch of this product means that the first artificial blood vessel developed and produced by a local enterprise will break the monopoly of European and American markets on similar products.

Project 15: Sinocare Continuous Glucose Monitoring System

Sanuo Aikan Continuous Glucose Monitoring System is the first CGMs product in China to receive EU MDR certification. It adopts self-developed third-generation direct electron transfer technology, offering significant advantages such as low potential, no reliance on oxygen, strong anti-interference, good stability, and high accuracy. It effectively helps adult diabetic patients (≥18 years) detect and track changes in interstitial glucose concentration trends, assisting diabetic patients with both acute and long-term blood glucose management.

Project Sixteen: AccuPulse Medical Cardiac Pulsed Field Ablation System

In February 2024, AccuPulse Medical's cardiac pulsed field ablation system entered the special review channel for innovative medical devices. AccuPulse has independently developed pulsed field ablation technology (PFA), with atrial fibrillation ablation as the starting point, and was the first to develop a pulsed ablation generator and ablation catheter. In April 2023, the company successfully completed the enrollment of all participants in clinical trials and is currently in the 12-month postoperative long-term follow-up phase.

Project Seventeen: Optoelectronic Tweezers Micro-Nano Operation Equipment and Targeted Drug Delivery System for Micro-Nano Robots

The optoelectronic tweezer micro-nano manipulation equipment from Micro-Nano Power can achieve ultra-high-throughput single-cell screening efficiency, significantly accelerating the development of biologics; the micro-nanorobot targeted drug delivery system can actively target tumors for drug delivery under the influence of an external magnetic field, enabling a revolutionary approach to cancer treatment.

Project Eighteen: Chuangjian Medical Nano Tetrahedron

Chuangjian Medical pioneered the synthesis of DNA tetrahedron nanomaterials (TDN) with specific sequences, specific scales, specific spatial conformations, and specific biological properties. Based on this, they developed a novel gene and drug delivery system using TDN. They were also the first in China to achieve standardized and large-scale production of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids using biosynthesis technology.

Project Nineteen: ReLive Biotechnologies 3D Printed Bone Grafts

In March 2024, the registration clinical trial enrollment for NPPM-01, a 3D-printed regenerative bone graft developed and manufactured by ReLive Biotechnologies, was completed. This is China's first fully self-developed bioprinted regenerative bone graft, marking another significant clinical breakthrough following the completion of two oral and maxillofacial surgeries using CMFlex, the first 3D-printed synthetic bone graft approved by the FDA in October 2023.

Project Twenty: Lively Sensors Mobile Liver MRI Quantitative Detector

Lively Sensors, a point-of-care fatty liver detection device independently developed by Mingshi Junzhi, does not require a shielded room. With a one-touch scan, it can provide three major quantitative indicators—fat content, fibrosis, and inflammation—within 5 minutes. The device features non-invasive measurement, no electrical radiation, low cost, accurate quantification, simple operation, and no special configuration requirements, making it suitable for outpatient and grassroots hospital applications. In the future, it can be further made portable and extended to health check-ups, gyms, and even personal users.

Project Twenty-One: Kunmai Medical Liquid-Helium-Free Quantum Magnetoencephalography

Kunmai Medical's Liquid-Helium-Free Quantum Magnetoencephalography (MEG) can non-invasively record brain neural activity information in vitro, achieving millimeter-level localization of lesions and functional areas, precisely diagnosing and protecting each patient's neurological functions. This equipment has entered the NMPA’s Innovative Medical Device Green Channel and is expected to become the world’s first clinically approved liquid-helium-free quantum magnetoencephalography.

Project Twenty-Two: Pulnovo Medical's Interventional Product PADN for Treating Pulmonary Hypertension

In December 2023, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved Paragon Medical's "One-time Use Circular Pulmonary Artery Radiofrequency Ablation Catheter (PADN Catheter)" innovative product registration application. This product has become the world’s first PADN-based treatment for pulmonary hypertension. In February 2021, the PADN Catheter quickly obtained the FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in just 16 days.

Amid the complex landscape of rapid technological turnover and corporate iteration in China's healthcare sector, coupled with intensified international competition, an increasing number of companies are engaging in "internal competition" to achieve sustainable high growth, with a growing focus on technological innovation. However, amidst the rivalry among various players, the greatest beneficiaries remain the patients.