Manitoba’s medical device sector gets $10M boost

WINNIPEG—Manitoba’s medical device industry is receiving a $10-million investment to help commercialize specialized joint replacement technology.

The Canadian and Manitoba governments are helping fund the Concordia Hip and Knee Institute Strategic Initiative.

The project will partner medical professionals with engineers at the new Musculoskeletal Innovation and Product Development Centre (MIPDC), located next to Concordia Hospital in Winnipeg.

The funding will go towards new equipment for wear-testing and product validation to develop new technologies.

Dave Chomiak, Minister of Manitoba Innovation, Energy and Mines, said the initiative will help build a local bioengineering industry and promote regional research, development and manufacturing of customized total joint replacements.

Manufacturing opportunities in the medical device industry are expected to swell in the coming years, as an aging population increases demand for devices such as implants, orthotics and prosthetics.