On June 26, a Japanese auxiliary artificial heart project, EVAHEART, a project in which the Liangjiang New Area has invested 130 million yuan($20.9 million), was established within the Shuitu Technology Zone.

The HI-LEX Group of Japan and Lilong Group in Chongqing will therefore jointly establish the EVAHEART Medical Apparatus and Instruments Limited Company, which will produce auxiliary artificial hearts.

The annual income is projected to reach over 3 billion yuan after production, which will not only fill the current void in domestic artificial heart research, but also bring good news to the China’s heart failure sufferers. This project is just one of many innovations made in the “Medical Valley” of the New Area.

Since its establishment four years ago, the New Area has focused on the development of automobiles, electronics, high-end equipment, aviation and medicine. The medicine industry is a strategic emerging industry in the New Area that centers on ultrasonic medical treatment, digital medical equipment, innovative medicine, biological pharmacy, medical equipment and more.

Before the project started, there were already ten medical projects ongoing in the technology zone, totaling an investment of 11.198 billion yuan with an expected annual profit 2.87 billion yuan.

To date, the technology zone has primarily consisted of three major components: medicine, high-end medical equipment and medical treatment application. The medicine section has collaborated with prominent enterprises such as PKU Health Care, Yaopharma, Kailion Pharmacy and Baoke Pharmacy.

As for the medical equipment sector, two projects – the rotary ultrasonic focusing knife and Hong Kong Youma Equipment – are in the works. The medical treatment sector has begun projects with Boteng Pharmaceutical Group and the China Stem Cell Group. After all the enterprises put their projects into production, the technology zone will become an important base for the biological medicine industry in China.

Edited by Noelle Mateer