Christopher Delporte, Editorial Director10.31.13
Last week’s Med in Ireland 2013 conference, held in Dublin on Wednesday, Oct. 23, kicked off with remarks from Richard Bruton, the country’s minister for jobs, enterprise and innovation. The program was organized by Enterprise Ireland, a government-funded organization responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. The association works in partnership with Irish companies to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets.
Of the 800 attendees, 340 were buyers from medical technology companies, including the global top 10, which represent 50 percent of the world’s medtech purchasing power.
Minister Richard Bruton (left) and Julie Sinnamon CEO Designate Enterprise Ireland (right) present the Clinical Innovation Award 2013 to Julia O’Rourke (center). The award is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and Cleveland Clinic. - See more at: http://www.mpo-mag.com/contents/view_online-exclusives/2013-10-31/enterprise-ireland-and-cleveland-clinic-present-innovation-award-for-work-in-dementia-treatment/#sthash.pLqax1at.dpuf
Photo (left): Minister Richard Bruton (left) and Julie Sinnamon, CEO Designate Enterprise Ireland (right), present the Clinical Innovation Award 2013 to Julia O’Rourke (center). The award is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and Cleveland Clinic. Photo courtesy of Enterprise Ireland.
“Medical technologies is a sector targeted as part of the government’s action plan for jobs, and it is crucial that we not only pursue further multinational investment in this sector but also provide support for the growing number of Irish companies in this area,” Bruton said. “Irish life-sciences companies employ 6,700 people, up 42 percent since 2006, and through our plan we are putting in place measures to grow this further.”
Julie Sinnamon, CEO Designate of Enterprise Ireland pointed out that sales in the Irish life-sciences sector now exceed 1 billion euros (approximately $1.3 billion).
“As a small country, Ireland has been able to bring together highly innovative indigenous companies, large well-established FDI (foreign direct investment) multinationals, a continually developing world-class research base and strong links with the clinical community to create this rich and convergent landscape with world-class expertise across key sectors such as biopharma, medtech and ICT (information and communication technology),” she said. “This ‘cohesiveness’ is now a key competitive strength internationally and Enterprise Ireland has organized Med in Ireland 2013 to capitalize on this and facilitate new strategic partnerships between Irish and international companies.”
A total of 81 Irish companies showcased their products and services to international buyers and took part in 1,200 one-to-one partnership meetings scheduled by Enterprise Ireland to encourage more business. During the last two Med in Ireland events in 2009 and 2011, more than $55 million in new business was generated for participating companies, according to conference organizers.
Many medical device companies were visiting Ireland for more than just the conference. More than 150 site visits to Irish medtech companies took place during the days before and after the event.
During the opening ceremonies, Minister Bruton presented the Enterprise Ireland, Cleveland Clinic Clinical Innovation Award, which recognizes promising new medical technology.
The Clinical Innovation Award was created by Enterprise Ireland and the Cleveland Clinic in the United States to recognize the importance of clinical innovation in Ireland. The purpose of the award is to tap into Ireland’s clinical community with a view to developing new healthcare products and services that will improve patient care and benefit from the healthcare system and Ireland’s medical technologies sector.
The winner of this year’s award is Julia O’Rourke, a speech and language therapist at Adelaide and Meath Hospital in association with Dublin City University. She developed a a resource called software called Rempad, which is designed as "reminiscence therapy” for Alzheimer's patients and others suffering with different forms of dementia.
Rempad is a new software tool that uses multimedia content to connect caregivers and nursing home residents with memories from the past to enhance the overall well being of nursing home residents suffering from Alzheimer’s.
There are 35 million people living with dementia worldwide—and the number of patients is expected to triple by 2050. Rempad’s reminiscence therapy software uses historical artifacts such as photos and broadcast footage to stimulate memories from the past and help individuals or groups to communicate.
O’Rourke collaborated with the Adelaide and Meath Hospital and researchers at CLARITY in Dublin City University (a research center that focuses on adaptive sensing and information discovery) to develop Rempad.
Presenting the award, Bruton said: “The Clinical Innovation Award aims to recognize clinicians engaged in projects that can benefit healthcare as well as Ireland’s medical technology companies. As lead promoter for a new spin out company being formed around the technology, O’Rourke is a great example of the clinical community driving innovation into new Irish enterprise and creating jobs”.
O’Rourke will receive a grant of 15,000 euros (approximately $20,500) to work with Enterprise Ireland and the Cleveland Clinic to develop the commercial aspects of the software.
“We look forward to working with Julia and her collaborators to develop the commercial potential for this idea," said Brian Griffin, M.D., a cardiologist and head of the Cardiovascular Imaging section in the Heart and Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. "We are excited about this unique model of engaging with dementia patients. Dementia is a key area for all health care providers and we have strong programs at our main campus in Cleveland and at Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, a medical center dedicated solely to the pursuit of more effective treatments for brain diseases. As one of the leading sites in the United States for conducting advanced clinical trial and translational research in this area, we see great opportunities for Julia around adoption of Rempad in the market."
Julia and the team conducted trials of the Rempad prototype in seven Irish nursing homes last year, all of which expressed a commitment to subscribe when Rempad becomes commercially available. Rempad was found to benefit the resident, the caregiver and the care facility. According to Enterprise Ireland, nursing home residents reported increased well-being, caregivers found the system easy to use and reported a greater knowledge about the lives of the people in their care after use.
“The potential social and economic benefits of Rempad are clear," Sinnamon said. "As a speech and language therapist, Julia has co-developed this software with the end-user in mind and has shown great determination in getting the technology in to nursing homes to benefit residents with dementia. Enterprise Ireland is delighted to work with people of Julia’s caliber to commercialize publicly funded research and develop new products and services like Rempad”.
Enterprise Ireland and Cleveland Clinic also recognized two other finalists during the event's opening ceremony.
Semi-finalists were:
• Dermot Kenny, professor of cardiovascular biology, Beaumont Hospital and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, for his work to develop a diagnostic for cardiovascular disease using platelet “stickiness.”
• Sherif Sultan, consultant vascular and endovascular surgeon, University Hospital Galway, National University of Ireland-Galway, the Galway Clinic and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, for his work on stem cell treatment of vascular disease.
Of the 800 attendees, 340 were buyers from medical technology companies, including the global top 10, which represent 50 percent of the world’s medtech purchasing power.
Minister Richard Bruton (left) and Julie Sinnamon CEO Designate Enterprise Ireland (right) present the Clinical Innovation Award 2013 to Julia O’Rourke (center). The award is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and Cleveland Clinic. - See more at: http://www.mpo-mag.com/contents/view_online-exclusives/2013-10-31/enterprise-ireland-and-cleveland-clinic-present-innovation-award-for-work-in-dementia-treatment/#sthash.pLqax1at.dpuf
“Medical technologies is a sector targeted as part of the government’s action plan for jobs, and it is crucial that we not only pursue further multinational investment in this sector but also provide support for the growing number of Irish companies in this area,” Bruton said. “Irish life-sciences companies employ 6,700 people, up 42 percent since 2006, and through our plan we are putting in place measures to grow this further.”
Julie Sinnamon, CEO Designate of Enterprise Ireland pointed out that sales in the Irish life-sciences sector now exceed 1 billion euros (approximately $1.3 billion).
“As a small country, Ireland has been able to bring together highly innovative indigenous companies, large well-established FDI (foreign direct investment) multinationals, a continually developing world-class research base and strong links with the clinical community to create this rich and convergent landscape with world-class expertise across key sectors such as biopharma, medtech and ICT (information and communication technology),” she said. “This ‘cohesiveness’ is now a key competitive strength internationally and Enterprise Ireland has organized Med in Ireland 2013 to capitalize on this and facilitate new strategic partnerships between Irish and international companies.”
A total of 81 Irish companies showcased their products and services to international buyers and took part in 1,200 one-to-one partnership meetings scheduled by Enterprise Ireland to encourage more business. During the last two Med in Ireland events in 2009 and 2011, more than $55 million in new business was generated for participating companies, according to conference organizers.
Many medical device companies were visiting Ireland for more than just the conference. More than 150 site visits to Irish medtech companies took place during the days before and after the event.
During the opening ceremonies, Minister Bruton presented the Enterprise Ireland, Cleveland Clinic Clinical Innovation Award, which recognizes promising new medical technology.
The Clinical Innovation Award was created by Enterprise Ireland and the Cleveland Clinic in the United States to recognize the importance of clinical innovation in Ireland. The purpose of the award is to tap into Ireland’s clinical community with a view to developing new healthcare products and services that will improve patient care and benefit from the healthcare system and Ireland’s medical technologies sector.
The winner of this year’s award is Julia O’Rourke, a speech and language therapist at Adelaide and Meath Hospital in association with Dublin City University. She developed a a resource called software called Rempad, which is designed as "reminiscence therapy” for Alzheimer's patients and others suffering with different forms of dementia.
Rempad is a new software tool that uses multimedia content to connect caregivers and nursing home residents with memories from the past to enhance the overall well being of nursing home residents suffering from Alzheimer’s.
There are 35 million people living with dementia worldwide—and the number of patients is expected to triple by 2050. Rempad’s reminiscence therapy software uses historical artifacts such as photos and broadcast footage to stimulate memories from the past and help individuals or groups to communicate.
O’Rourke collaborated with the Adelaide and Meath Hospital and researchers at CLARITY in Dublin City University (a research center that focuses on adaptive sensing and information discovery) to develop Rempad.
Presenting the award, Bruton said: “The Clinical Innovation Award aims to recognize clinicians engaged in projects that can benefit healthcare as well as Ireland’s medical technology companies. As lead promoter for a new spin out company being formed around the technology, O’Rourke is a great example of the clinical community driving innovation into new Irish enterprise and creating jobs”.
O’Rourke will receive a grant of 15,000 euros (approximately $20,500) to work with Enterprise Ireland and the Cleveland Clinic to develop the commercial aspects of the software.
“We look forward to working with Julia and her collaborators to develop the commercial potential for this idea," said Brian Griffin, M.D., a cardiologist and head of the Cardiovascular Imaging section in the Heart and Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. "We are excited about this unique model of engaging with dementia patients. Dementia is a key area for all health care providers and we have strong programs at our main campus in Cleveland and at Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, a medical center dedicated solely to the pursuit of more effective treatments for brain diseases. As one of the leading sites in the United States for conducting advanced clinical trial and translational research in this area, we see great opportunities for Julia around adoption of Rempad in the market."
Julia and the team conducted trials of the Rempad prototype in seven Irish nursing homes last year, all of which expressed a commitment to subscribe when Rempad becomes commercially available. Rempad was found to benefit the resident, the caregiver and the care facility. According to Enterprise Ireland, nursing home residents reported increased well-being, caregivers found the system easy to use and reported a greater knowledge about the lives of the people in their care after use.
“The potential social and economic benefits of Rempad are clear," Sinnamon said. "As a speech and language therapist, Julia has co-developed this software with the end-user in mind and has shown great determination in getting the technology in to nursing homes to benefit residents with dementia. Enterprise Ireland is delighted to work with people of Julia’s caliber to commercialize publicly funded research and develop new products and services like Rempad”.
Enterprise Ireland and Cleveland Clinic also recognized two other finalists during the event's opening ceremony.
Semi-finalists were:
• Dermot Kenny, professor of cardiovascular biology, Beaumont Hospital and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, for his work to develop a diagnostic for cardiovascular disease using platelet “stickiness.”
• Sherif Sultan, consultant vascular and endovascular surgeon, University Hospital Galway, National University of Ireland-Galway, the Galway Clinic and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, for his work on stem cell treatment of vascular disease.