Christchurch medical tech company secures milestone sale of CT scanner
The company says it will keep manufacturing the scanners in Christchurch, even as it expands into the US.
Christchurch-based medical technology company Mars Bioimaging has achieved a significant commercial milestone with the first-ever sale of its portable CT scanner to Christchurch-based healthcare provider, Reform Radiology. This marks a major step forward for the company, following its recent US regulatory approval and a $15 million fundraising round aimed at expanding its presence in the American market.
The innovative MARS system, designed specifically for specialist clinics and imaging centres, is compact enough to be installed in consulting rooms, enabling patients to receive high-resolution, 3D X-ray imaging of hands, wrists, and arms at the point of care, eliminating the need to refer them to hospital radiology departments.
The FDA cleared the scanner in March, following months of development. CEO Dr Ojas Mahapatra emphasized the technology's goal to reduce patient wait times for imaging, stating that the scanner allows for immediate, high-quality imaging within the clinic itself. He highlighted the importance of clinical customers in building the evidence needed for wider adoption by physicians and surgeons, noting that the clinical diagnostics market provides a more scalable commercial opportunity compared to previous sales to research institutions.
This first clinical sale caps a productive year for Mars Bioimaging, which completed a $15 million fundraising round in January and gained FDA clearance in March. The company is now prioritizing generating revenue and plans to hire additional sales staff in the United States, with manufacturing continuing in Christchurch using local partner Argus Manutech.
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