QCOSTARICA – Establishment Labs, maker of breast implants located in Coyol, Alajuela (Costa Rica), announced a US$2 million dollar investment in conjunction with VeriTeQ for the development of a pressure-sensing microtransponder to be used in tissue expanders for breast reconstruction and tissue expansion.
VeriTeQ Corporation is a provider of implantable medical device identification and radiation dose measurement technologies.
Establishment Labs’ tissue expanders will incorporate a host of technological features, most importantly giving surgeons the ability to measure internal pressure during the expansion cycles.
Under the trade name, SmartQ, Juan José Chacón, general manager of Establishment Labs told El Financiero that the plan is to begin distribution gradually starting in 2016. Chacón added that the initial production is of 50.000 units, to eventually reach 200.000 units over a period of three years.
The executive said the main focus of production is for export, up to 98% of the production to be sold abroad.
However, Chacón explained, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) – Costa Rica’s social security – has shown an interest in the functionality of this novel technology.
*The El Coyol industrial park (Coyol Free Zone) is located minutes west of the Juan Santamaría (SJO) airport, and home to companies like Grupo Monge, Laica, Gollo, Walmart, Durman Esquivel and a significant number of other companies.
