pbi news in uk

Was sent this news article about PBI in the UK.


AVE:
Client:
Source:
Date:
2708.4
Page:
Premier Bionics
Circulation:
The Independent (Main)
20 November 2006
Size:
44
265051
185cm2
Premier Bionics looks poised for healthcare tonic
Small
Talk
BY
ANDREW
DEWSON
One small cap story that
passed under the radar
screens last week came from
Premier Bionics. It is an interesting
business, quite
apart from being one ofthe
very few Australian companies
listed in London that has
nothing to do with the mining
industry. Premier Bionics
designs software and
hardware which is used to
train surgeons. It also provides
ongoing consultancy
and helps to develop medical
skills training facilities.
Think "PlayStation Open
Heart Surgery" with interactive
controls.
One ofthe oroblems facing
training hospitals is the
lack of corpses to practice
on, a problem dating much
further back than Burke and
Hare. Obviously, letting students
practice on a live patient
carries certain risks,
not just restricted to the
death of said patient. Pre¬
mier's simulators allow
surgery students to practice
away to their hearts'content
without killing anyone. The
company announced another
significant deal in
China last week, worth
A$830,000 (£337,000), its
second major contract in the
country, to supply its simulators
to Southern Medical
University in Guangzhou
province.
Before any Small Talk
readers start thinking about
filling their children's stockings
with a Premier Bionics
simulator this Christmas,
it is worth knowing
that the latest kit will set
you back £35,000 per unit.
But the Chinese contract
could be the tip ofthe iceberg
for Premier Bionics in
an area of technology that
has huge scope for expansion
with very little in the
way of competition.
It can be tough for small
companies to impress the
market - Premier Bionics'
shares remained unchanged
at 8p despite confirmation
ofthe Chinese
contract. However, Small
Talk hears that the company
is on the verge of signing
its next major contract,
this time with a household
name in UK healthcare. The
shares are unlikely to stay
at 8p for much longer.
Premier Bionics: Think 'PlayStation Open Heart Surgey'
Coverage is reproduced under licence from the NLA