MED TECH


Director Research and Development and Stryker Innovation Centre leader, Kevin Manley


Ronan Rogers, Director of New Product Development, Medtronic


established the Assert Centre, not only one of the finest world-class clinical and surgical skills research facilities in Ireland, but


in Europe,” Kevin explains. In addition,


collaboration between Stryker and the University of Limerick has been integral to the successful development of the multi award-winning DirectInject product, which allows for a new approach to the complex and fraught issue of cranial closure that is helping to transform the entire recovery experience for patients.


MEDTRONIC Innovation has been central to Medtronic’s Irish operations since 1999, when the global MedTech giant established a state of the art facility in Parkmore, Galway. A centre of excellence for the treatment of cardiovascular and cardiac rhythm disease, it has proved the basis for an enduring relationship with the country and, today, Medtronic employs 2,800 people in the country. Approximately 300 personnel in the Parkmore facility are directly involved in R&D activities, as Ronan Rogers, Director of New Product Development with the company, explains. “More than 80 per cent of Medtronic’s top-line growth is delivered through new new product development (NPD), making R&D a huge priority for the company. Over $2 billion is invested globally by the company in product innovation, and R&D activities at the Parkmore site play a significant role in delivering the company’s strategy.” NPD is, by its nature, a multi-disciplinary undertaking,


advanced through the work of global cross-functional teams. Within that framework, Ronan says the Irish operations,


Medtech Key facts and figures


Over 300 MedTech companies in Ireland export €12.6 billion in products annually. Thirteen of the world’s top 15 MedTech companies have operations here. The sector employs 29,000 people – the highest number per capita in E.U. Exports of medical devices and diagnostics products represent 8.5 per cent of Ireland’s total merchandise exports.


Source: Irish MedTech Association


support innovative new product launches.”


30 INNOVATION IRELAN REVIEW


“All of our Irish sites have key talent that


Ciaran Corcoran, Site Director, Abbott Diagnostics, Longford


“are seen as a source of the high-level talent, which is the foundation of everything we do in the company. We are also recognised as offering the ability to deliver high-quality, predictable outcomes in terms of processes.” One recent development in which the Galway facility has


played a pivotal role, initially in R&D and now through manufacturing, is the next-generation pacemaker Micra. About the size of a large vitamin capsule, Micra can be implanted directly into a patient’s heart through a vein, eliminating the


need for surgical intervention and


minimising the risk of later complications. “Micra is the world’s smallest pacemaker and, for most patients, that translates into fewer medical complications and fewer post- implant activity restrictions. We’re very proud of the role that


the Galway team played in both development and


manufacturing, along with our colleagues in the US and Europe, in bringing it to market.” Following approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2016, Micra has won numerous awards and accolades, and was named 2016’s biggest achievement


in medicine by U.S. News &


World Report. Medtronic’s evolution in Ireland coincides with the


company’s strategic transformation from a MedTech innovator to a global healthcare solutions company, and Ronan explains that this is happening against the backdrop of change and challenge across global healthcare. “The challenges are rising costs, an ageing population, an increase in chronic long-term diseases and, often, limited access to affordable healthcare. For us, being part of the solution is about being more than a provider of medical


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