Revolutionary technology developed by a Nepean Hospital urologist has been awarded $2.5 million in funds by the NSW Health and Medical Research department to support the continued improvement of prostate cancer treatment and patient outcomes for men.
Dr Celi Varol and The Hon. David Harris MP
Medlogical Innovations, founded by our very own Associate Professor Dr Celi Varol and creator of the innovative robotic laser therapy system, ProFocal, were one of two recipients of the NSW Health Medical Devices Fund that looks to support technology development.
The ProFocal system, which was trialled at Nepean Hospital and now undergoing global clinical investigation, is a needle guided laser ablation treatment that targets the prostate cancer without removing the whole prostate gland or affecting the function of prostate gland itself.
The procedure works by placing a needle which has a laser system into the prostate gland. The system heats up the cancerous cells to destroy the most diseased part of the prostate. The procedure is a day only intervention with most patients returning home the same day.
The Medical Devices Fund will support Dr Celi Varol and his team to establish a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will help to accelerate commercialisation and greatly improve adoption of the technology across other health organisations.
Dr Celi Varol says he is incredibly blessed to have received the Medical Devices Fund, the second for this project.
“The Fund allows us to take multiple steps to further take the technology from prototype development manufacturing to commercialisation and establish a sales force to roll this out,” says Celi.
“The Medical Devices Fund program is vital for developing technology in Australia, supporting local talent and making sure they don’t go overseas.”
“I think what’s really exciting for us is that we are changing the way men with prostate cancer are being treated, not just here in New South Wales or in Australia, but globally.”
Winners of the NSW Health Medical Devices Fund were announced at Parliament House in November where many researchers, entrepreneurs and investors gathered to celebrate medical technologies being developed in NSW.
Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte, Chair of the Medical Devices Fund Expert Panel and NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer congratulated recipients of the Fund whose work will have lasting and meaningful impacts on the health system in NSW and the wider community.
About the NSW Health Medical Devices Fund
The NSW Health Medical Devices Fund aims to support visionaries to take their innovations to market and increase the uptake of local medical devices by the health system where they represent cost effectiveness and contribute to improving patient outcomes.
