K-One Technology to develop, manufacture NASA-approved ventilators

K-One Technology to develop, manufacture NASA-approved ventilators

08 Sep 2021

K-One Technology Bhd’s (KTB) wholly-owned subsidiary K-One MediTech Sdn Bhd (KOM) will develop and manufacture ventilators in Malaysia to meet increasing demands and the changing global landscape of the medical devices industry.

The ventilators are licensed by the US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA-JPL).

KTB’s research and development of enhanced ventilator models will enable a broader range of applications for acute respiratory diseases by incorporating smart features such as the Internet of Things (IoT), which are attributes of the medical device industry’s technological advancements.

Having secured the license to manufacture ventilators developed by NASA-JPL, KOM has also been awarded a matching grant by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).

With MIDA’s facilitation, KTB plans for future development and manufacture of ventilators, perhaps under its own brand.

Additionally, the grant will assist in obtaining international certifications, such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European CE approvals, in demonstrating compliance with American and European standards, which serve as the gold standard certifications.

MIDA chief executive officer Arham Abdul Rahman said KTB’s achievement in being the only Malaysian company licensed to produce NASA-JPL’s ventilators represents a huge leap of the local technological capability towards the production of more complex and high technology medical devices to meet the global demands.

“Given the escalating demands for ventilators worldwide in managing the Covid-19 pandemic, it is certainly an admirable feat for the company to commit and produce affordable ventilators, making them more accessible, in the fight against Covid-19.

“With the growing presence of multinational companies (MNC) in Malaysia, domestic manufacturers in the medical device supply chain are also being recognised globally,” he said in a statement today.

KOM expects to benefit commercially from the enhanced ventilators production while contributing to the domestic and global supply chains.

The development and manufacturing processes may also nurture specialised local technical expertise through collaborations with local universities and university hospitals, including training on specific medical protocols by medical device specialists.

KTB chief executive officer Datuk Martin Lim Soon Seng believe the demand for ventilators is always there, even though the Covid-19 pandemic has boosted its requirements.

He said the government support would catalyse and accelerate the company’s efforts in achieving its aspirations to produce a novel ‘Made in Malaysia’ ventilator of international standards.

The government’s strong backing will nurture the local companies to develop indigenous technology and facilitate uplifting local talents, enhancing supply chain competencies and foreign exchange earnings via export growth.

The government’s continuous commitment to attract high technology investment is reflected through significant growth of Malaysia’s medical devices industry over the last few years.

In 2020, the industry contributed RM6.1 billion worth of investments through 51 projects approved by MIDA.

Today, Malaysia comprises over 200 manufacturers producing a broad range of products and equipment for medical, surgical, dental, optical and general health purposes.

This has certainly made Malaysia an ideal investment destination, particularly an outsourcing destination and a medical device manufacturing hub in ASEAN.    

Source: NST