Medtronic’s MedTech
Collaboration is now more important than ever in the innovation and development of new products, services and solutions to Europe’s grand societal challenges. Fostering research co-operation is a key goal of Horizon 2020 and last month a new facility was opened in Ireland embodying this critical concept.
The new Medtronic Customer Innovation Centre (CIC) was opened by European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. The €7.7m CIC in Galway provides state-of-the-art facilities for physicians and company engineers and allows them to co-operate on developing new therapies that will improve clinical outcomes, provide economic value and increase access to quality healthcare for patients around the world.
The centre includes hybrid, demonstration and collaboration labs where scientists will be able to work together on future technological developments. The facility also includes the latest digital communication technology for global networking, 3D printing facilities to prototype new ideas and extensive training and education amenities. As many as 500 physicians and customers are expected to visit the centre every year. Furthermore, the new facilities will help boost local research and innovation as well as further increase the number of people employed by the business to over 2,000, both core aims of Horizon 2020.
MedTech
Medtronic is one of the world’s largest technology companies. Although based in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States, the business services 140 countries worldwide and focuses on R&I in cardiac and vascular diseases, diabetes, as well as neurological and musculoskeletal conditions. The multinational corporation has a major presence in Ireland, operating facilities in Dublin and Galway since 1999 with a focus on medical technologies for the treatment and management of cardiovascular and cardiac rhythm disease.
Speaking at the opening of the CIC, Geoghegan-Quinn described the new facility as helping both Medtronic and Galway remain at the “heart” of European medical research and innovation advancements.
“Thanks to multiple connections and the presence of academic and private research centres nearby, the Galway MedTech Cluster is actively stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship. With support from the National University of Ireland in Galway, approximately 40 MedTech SMEs are now located here. Galway is not only a place to be for skilled graduates, but is also an international hub for the start-up of MedTech companies.
“Ireland is a leader in the MedTech sector, with the highest per capita rate of medical technology employment in Europe. Eight of the top 20 global MedTech companies have a manufacturing base here. Over 40 years’ experience has resulted in a dynamic sector that is a globally recognised centre of excellence. These new facilities are proof of Medtronic’s leading role in the sector in Ireland, and of your commitment to working with clinicians, surgeons, researchers and patient groups in the development of new technologies that can improve health and healthcare in Europe and around the world.”
EU innovation goals
Health research and the resolution of Europe’s major societal challenges form a major part of Horizon 2020. The challenge specifically looks at demographic change and wellbeing and the first work programmes are likely to focus on personalised medicine, improving diagnosis and developing innovative treatments and technologies. The next framework programme will also be supported by the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA), which aims to increase the average healthy lifespan of Europeans by two years by 2020.
“Medtronic’s objectives are very much in line with the EU’s research and innovation goals,” Geoghegan-Quinn continued. “Innovation in medical technologies has enormous potential to boost competitiveness and growth in Europe. It is the leading industrial sector in patent applications, with more than 10,400 last year alone. Horizon 2020…will help the sector reach its full potential.”
“Medical technologies will find a home in all three pillars of the programme: under pillar one on developing scientific excellence; under pillar two on delivering industrial leadership by supporting Key Enabling Technologies; and under pillar three on tackling societal challenges in the thematic areas of health, demographic change and wellbeing.
“In addition, medical technologies play an important role in the EIP on AHA which encourages the uptake of research results and the delivery of new products and healthcare solutions into the marketplace. I am pleased that Medtronic is already very active and participating in the EIP action plan on ‘prescription and adherence to treatment.’
Opportunity
The Commissioner concluded by emphasising the important and collaborative opportunities offered under Horizon 2020 and how Medtronic was a key example of how, in the private sector, this could be achieved.
“I hope that you will also seize all of the new opportunities offered by Horizon 2020. One of Horizon 2020’s biggest innovations is to bring together, for the first time, all EU research and innovation funding in one place. Moreover, just like this new Medtronic Customer Innovation Centre, Horizon 2020 will be a place where science and business interact, sparking innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Medtronic’s investment is a strong vote of confidence in the Irish economy, today and in the future.”
