Kirkby firm will export ground-breaking new medical equipment to global market

An Ashfield company is making major progress in developing a piece of medical equipment that will change heart surgery.

Brightwake Ltd, a family-firm based in Kirkby, is gathering pace in the global market with its invention, Hemosep.

Hemosep captures blood spilt during heart surgery, cleans it and then returns it to the patient.

The ground-breaking piece of equipment has been developed by Brightwake in partnership with the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.

Clinical trials of the device are about to start in several English hospitals, and interest is already growing significantly in various other parts of the world.

Ben Williams, head of business development for Advancis Surgical, said: “2014 promises to be a very exciting year.

“Clinical teams in this country are very interested in the potential of Hemosep and we are putting in global partnerships to ensure we can make the most of its potential.

“All of this is good news for jobs and the local economy.”

Advancis Surgical is the marketing arm of Brightwake Ltd for Hemosep.

Already, the company has agreements in place to export Hemosep to Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Italy.

The company is also exploring opportunities in other parts of Europe, including Holland, Germany and Denmark.