Bactiguard signs exclusive distribution agreement with Socime Medical

Published: 6-Oct-2014

Swedish infection control company establishes a presence in the Portuguese market


Bactiguard is to enter the Portuguese market through an exclusive distribution agreement with Socime Medical. The deal will cover all products in the Bactiguard infection protection portfolio.

Through this agreement, Bactiguard expands its market presence to 51 countries worldwide. Earlier this year the company signed a distribution deal for Iran.

The company is currently in a strong expansion phase, focused on new markets in the EU, Middle East, Asia and South America.

Portugal has a population of 10.6 million people and spends close to 10% of GDP on healthcare. Approximately 11% of patients in Portuguese hospitals are affected by healthcare-associated infections and multi-resistant bacteria are on the increase.

Products within Bactiguard’s focus area, such as Foley catheters, central venous catheters and endotracheal tubes, currently account for approximately €6m a year in Portugal.

'Socime Medical began marketing and distributing medical and surgical equipment in 1997, in the fields of neurosurgery and interventional cardiology. Since then, we have broadened the scope of our business, looking for new products and seeking out the best solutions to health needs in Portugal,' said Paulo Amaro, owner of Socime Medical.

'We look forward to introducing the Bactiguard portfolio for infection prevention on the Portuguese market.'

Bactiguard's patented coating prevents healthcare-associated infections by reducing bacterial adhesion and growth on medical devices. Bactiguard-coated urinary catheters are market leading in the US and Japan, and the company has recently developed its own portfolio of coated catheters for the urinary and respiratory tract and the blood stream.

The Stockholm-headquartered company employs 60 people and has production facilities in Sweden and Malaysia.

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