Ambicare looks abroad for growth

MEDICAL devices maker Ambicare is ramping up its overseas sales strategy as the firm sets a goal of growing turnover to £5 million over the next three years.

The Edinburgh-based company – which is commercialising technology developed by St Andrews University and Ninewells hospital in Dundee – is already selling its “Lustre” device, which is used to treat acne, in the UK and the Benelux countries.

Now the firm is on the verge of signing distribution agreements for other major European markets and for Canada and is preparing to file papers for regulatory approval in the United States.

Acne affects 85 per cent of the world’s population and is an increasing problem for girls, with half of women aged between 20 and 29 suffering from the disease and 25 per cent of those in their forties.

The global market for acne treatments is valued at £3 billion and so the firm has been touring trade shows, including a meeting of the American Academy of Dermatologists in San Diego last weekend and the inaugural conference yesterday of the Association of Scottish Aesthetic Practitioners in the firm’s home city.

Sales director Gary Conroy said: “We’re also about to launch a new version of Ambulight, our device for treating non-melanoma skin cancer, which will be cheaper and open up a broader market.”

Ambicare, which was launched in 2004, raised £1.7m of venture capital funding from Longbow Capital and Scottish Enterprise’s venture fund. St Andrews and Ninewells have remained as shareholders.