Boston Scientific and VivoLight Medical Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Precision Cardiovascular Care

Shanghai, November 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Boston Scientific, a global leader in medical technology（NYSE: BSX）Signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Shenzhen Vivolight Medical Device & Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Vivolight Medical”) at the Third China International Import Expo (hereinafter referred to as the “CIIE”). Both parties will engage in in-depth collaboration in the field of intravascular imaging for coronary intervention, fully leverage their respective advantages, continuously enhance the capabilities of domestic healthcare in independent R&D and the translation of innovative achievements, promote the transformation and upgrading of the domestic medical industry, and empower the sustained innovative development of precision medicine.

“In recent years, the number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in China has continued to rise, making the improvement of procedural success rates and postoperative patient outcomes a key focus.” As an invited guest at the signing ceremony, Academician Ge Junbo, founder of the Chinese Cardiovascular Physicians Innovation Club, expressed strong optimism about this collaboration. “This strategic partnership between a foreign enterprise and a domestic company is the first of its kind in the field of coronary interventional imaging. I believe that both parties can leverage their respective strengths to accelerate the implementation of the concept of ‘precision PCI’ guided by intravascular imaging, thereby providing more comprehensive solutions to meet patients’ therapeutic needs. I am also delighted to see this collaborative model facilitated through the platform of the Chinese Cardiovascular Physicians Innovation Club, which opens up new avenues for numerous enterprises, whether domestic innovators or foreign companies.”

In the era of population aging, the number of patients with coronary heart disease continues to rise. In the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease, it is crucial to accurately assess lumen and vessel diameters and to determine the severity and nature of lesions. In recent years, interventional cardiac imaging has advanced rapidly worldwide. Relevant guidelines, such as the Chinese Expert Consensus on Intravascular Ultrasound and the European Expert Consensus on Intracoronary Imaging, indicate that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) guided by imaging techniques—including intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT)—can significantly reduce major adverse events, compensate for the limitations of coronary angiography, optimize the entire procedural process, and improve long-term patient outcomes.

Boston Scientific’s intravascular imaging portfolio primarily focuses on Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS), while Vivolight’s products are more centered on Cardiovascular Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) systems. This collaboration with Vivolight further solidifies Boston Scientific’s leading position as the sole provider of comprehensive solutions in the field of coronary intervention imaging and physiology-guided procedures. Meanwhile, it will effectively support the development of precision medicine in China and mark another milestone in Boston Scientific’s active promotion of the local medical innovation ecosystem and its shared growth with domestic partners.

As an “insider” in local medical innovation, Boston Scientific has always adhered to its mission of “Innovating for Life,” continuously exploring diversified localized collaboration models to bring cutting-edge medical technologies to patients in China. Ms. Shi Chunmin, Vice President of the Cardiac Intervention and Structural Heart Disease Division at Boston Scientific China, stated, “This collaboration is a milestone for both companies and even for the entire coronary industry. On one hand, Vivolight possesses strong independent innovation capabilities and local advantages. On the other hand, Boston Scientific has long been deeply engaged in the field of intravascular imaging for coronary interventions, systematically establishing academic and training platforms that enable the rapid dissemination of resources. In 2020, Boston Scientific fully launched its Imaging Training Center project. The project aims to establish cardiac intervention imaging training centers across major medical centers nationwide. By leveraging 5G networks and adopting a hybrid online-offline model, it connects these training centers with grassroots hospitals, significantly shortening physicians’ learning curves. We hope to encourage more cardiovascular interventionalists to understand and rapidly master intravascular imaging techniques, and to proactively and standardizedly apply them in coronary intervention procedures. This will help align China with international standards in this field and ultimately benefit a broad patient population.”

Dr. Zhu Rui, Founder and Chairman of Vivolight Medical, also stated, “We are delighted to enter into a strategic partnership with Boston Scientific. Leveraging Boston Scientific’s comprehensive network layout, robust channel development, and professional education capabilities, our cardiovascular Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) system will rapidly reach the end-user market, ensuring that premium medical resources and innovative, cutting-edge procedures better cover the local Chinese market. Furthermore, this collaboration will not only promote the upgrading and development of the domestic medical industry but also accelerate the internationalization of China’s high-end medical innovations.”

Going forward, the two parties will also engage in in-depth collaboration in areas such as innovative research and development, leveraging clinical data to refine and iterate their products, thereby addressing the urgent unmet curative needs of patients in the local market.

Ms. Zhang Jun, President of Boston Scientific’s Greater China region, stated, “Growing together with local partners through diverse and innovative collaboration models is a key driver for Boston Scientific’s deep commitment to the Chinese market. We will continue to actively promote open innovation and strengthen cooperation with domestic medical enterprises, facilitating the decentralization of high-quality medical resources to enhance the timeliness and accessibility of primary healthcare, thereby contributing to the ‘Healthy China’ initiative.”

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific Corporation is committed to innovating for life. We are dedicated to developing innovative medical solutions that improve the lives of patients worldwide. For more than 40 years, Boston Scientific has been a leader in the global medical technology industry, offering a broad portfolio of high-performance medical solutions to meet the urgent therapeutic needs of patients and reduce healthcare costs. For more information, please visit our corporate website:www.bostonscientific.cn

About Boston Scientific Greater China

Boston Scientific established its China headquarters in Shanghai in 1997 and currently maintains branch offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The company’s core business areas include interventional cardiology, structural heart disease, cardiac rhythm management and electrophysiology, endoscopic interventions, peripheral and oncology interventions, urology and pelvic health, and respiratory products. Upholding its tradition as an innovation leader, Boston Scientific is committed to becoming a respected medical technology company that is responsive to the needs of patients and healthcare providers, driven by innovative vitality, and dedicated to delivering high-quality medical products and services for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. For more information, please visit the company’s website:www.bostonscientific.cn

About Shenzhen Vivolight Medical Device & Technology Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Vivolight Medical Device & Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2012, with its headquarters in Shenzhen and a research and development base in Xi’an. As a high-tech enterprise incubated and strongly supported by the Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it is China’s first national-level high-tech enterprise dedicated to intravascular imaging. The company focuses on the independent research, development, and industrialization of high-end cardiovascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems, and is one of the few domestic manufacturers that possess core technologies and have achieved full localization of key technologies and core components. In 2013, Vivolight successfully developed China’s first cardiovascular OCT system. After seven years of engineering optimization and clinical registration, the product was officially launched in July 2020. For more information, please visit the company website:www.vivolight.cn