Hartlepool firm's teamwork will help save lives

Nov 5 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

THE lives of road accident victims and military casualties across the world could be saved thanks to the endeavours of a Hartlepool firm and its German partner.

Hart Biologicals has teamed up with a company based in Munich as the pair look to market their new system which aids the treatment of people who are bleeding uncontrollably.

Hart and German firm Pentapharm GmbH are vying to make their ROTEM thromboelastometry system available to operating theatres all over the world after enjoying initial success in Asia and Europe. Pentapharm manufactures the hardware while Hart provides chemical substances, known as re-agents, for the system which is already in use in British military medical units in Afghanistan.

The technology can save crucial time, costs and the level of blood stock used to treat a patient by monitoring their blood clotting capabilities, allowing doctors to act accordingly.

Following an Asian trade visit to the Far East by Hart’s managing director Alby Pattison, the technology has proved popular in Indonesia and Thailand – which suffers from a relatively high level of motor cycle accidents. As well as being rolled out across Europe, talks are also under way to take the system into the US market.

Mr Pattison said: “The equipment sits in a corner of the operating theatre or trauma centre and gives extremely quick and reliable results which can save lives.

“The operating team can monitor the condition of the patient’s blood clotting capability, gaining vital information on the best blood products to give to the patient to stop the bleeding – especially important in trauma cases and liver or heart surgery.

“Previously tests had to be done outside the operating theatre, creating obvious delays.”

Hart, which employs six scientists, recently moved into a new 10,000sqft premises at the Rivergreen Business Centre at Queen’s Meadow, where it produces biological re-agents for use in testing equipment. The company is also currently working on new products for use in pathology laboratory services.

Mr Pattison returned from the Far East trade visit – led by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) – with a fistful of inquiries from suppliers to private hospitals in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.