Medipex spin-out Zilico Ltd. announces operational changes

14 February 2017

Cervical cancer diagnostic specialist Zilico, a Medipex spin-out, has today announced a number of operational changes designed to better align its operations.

Going forward, Zilico's flagship product ZedScan™, which improves the speed and accuracy in diagnosing pre-cancerous conditions of the cervix, will be sold directly to hospitals in Great Britain (Wales, Scotland & England) rather than through a third party distributor. The device, which offers a more accurate diagnosis for women who are at risk of cervical cancer, is currently used in many hospitals across the globe as an adjunct to the current diagnostic process.

Zilico has also introduced a number of structural changes to strengthen their management team, including the appointment of a head of UK sales, head of operations and a quality manager.

Darren Neill, Founder & Managing Director at Touchstone Medical Ltd, (part of the CME Group) will take on the role of head of UK sales from 13th March 2017. Touchstone will continue its business as normal under a revised structure after the departure of Darren. Darren brings to the role vast gynaecological, endoscopic surgery and diagnostic experience working closely with clinicians to improve outcomes for patients.

Speaking about the new role, Darren said, “I am extremely excited to be joining the Zilico team.  The growing real-world evidence behind ZedScan is overwhelming with more UK and international hospitals adopting the product.  As more countries move to primary HPV testing, there is a growing recognition that colposcopy will need to be improved.”

In addition, Zilico has recently appointed Christina Zavadsky, formerly of Lumenis, as the QARA Manager who will be overseeing the quality and regulatory processes within the company.

Commenting on these new appointments, Sameer Kothari, CEO of Zilico said, “Darren and Christina share our vision for the company and their addition to the Zilico team will ensure our goals become a reality. 2017 is a very exciting year for us and I look forward to working together with them over the coming months.”

Cervical cancer is the 7th most common disease globally, and the third most prevalent in women. The disease is caused by the persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which triggers changes in the cervical cells.

ZedScan is a portable, handheld device that can measure and detect tissue changes in women identified with an abnormal smear test. 

The system uses patented Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to detect the development of pre-cancerous abnormalities of the cervix, known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). It offers real-time and more accurate detection of pre-cancerous cells than standard colposcopy (a procedure for examining the cervix), enabling clinicians to make better informed decisions at a patient’s first visit. 

Going forward, any ZedScan enquiries from the Great Britain will be handled directly by Zilico.