Shanghai, China – Recently, Shanghai MicroPort Medical Group Co., Ltd. ("MicroPort®") was awarded 2017 Shanghai Pilot Enterprise with Outstanding Innovation, the only medical device company among the ten selected enterprises. To facilitate the implantation of Shanghai government's innovation-driven strategies to build a technological innovation center in the city and enhance its innovation ability, creativity and competitiveness, Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality and other city governmental authorities launched the "Innovative Enterprise Cultivation Program" this year to select enterprise with outstanding innovation abilities.
It is reported that the pilot enterprises of this program are all leaders of high-tech or strategic emerging industries with annual revenue exceeding one billion yuan, and at the same time, these enterprises should invest more than 5% of its revenue into research and development ("R&D") and have established scientific innovation system. The pilot program lasts for three years from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2019, during which the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality will offer favorable policies and resources based on the needs of the pilot enterprises to help strengthen their innovation abilities and promote a demonstration effect in terms of innovation, strategic management, globalization, and entrepreneurship for other Shanghai-based companies.
As a leading high-end medical device company in China, MicroPort®'s sustainable ability to innovate drives the company's future. In recent years, MicroPort® invests around 15% of its revenue into R&D annually. It has over 1,800 issued patents and more than 200 products approved for use worldwide, covering 10 major medical disciplines including interventional cardiology, orthopedics, interventional radiology, electrophysiology, diabetes and endocrine management, surgical management, and others. MicroPort® holds a leading position in China's drug eluting stent field since the launch of its drug-eluting stent in 2004, which is China's first domestically made drug-eluting stent. In particular, the launch of the world's first target-eluting stent in 2014 represented major leaps forward for MicroPort®, transforming its drug-eluting-stent offering from a market follower to a leader in this segment. In the future, MicroPort® will continue to strive for innovation, improve product offering and company governance, and focus on creating a sound environment for innovation and an efficient mechanism to cultivate innovative talents, and act as a role model to promote the development of China's high-end medical device industry.