Pharmaceutical & medical D 72
SOURCING A RELIABLE MEDICAL DEVICE PARTNER
esigning and making a medical device is very much a collaborative effort. The mix of skills often comprises researchers, clinicians, products designers and manu- facturers, each interjecting at various stages of the device development
cycle. Getting to market faster is not just about speed. It also requires a good amount of industry prowess, and knowing when to pull in the right expertise.
FAST TRACKING IDEAS
Innovation is inherently challenging. Invariably there will be months if not years of ideas being refined and hard work developing prototypes. But when a standout, life-enhancing product gets to market faster, the rewards – reputational and financial - can be huge. Medical device contract manufacturers play a vital role in facilitating this transition from concept to market launch and scaling up production. In order to jump ahead of the competition, Rory O’ Keeffe highlights that partnering with specialists gives OEMs, innovators and design houses the edge in many aspects. By providing access to a wider talent pool and cutting-edge technologies that may not be avail- able in-house, it can reduce risk and cost and help with scalability. “Drawing upon experienced contract manufacturers gives OEMs the freedom to focus on their respective engineering and product development skills.” As many testify, it also allows organisations to manage risks more effectively. Most notably, supply chain resilience as well as navigating the latest regulatory challenges.
Success for all original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) - from the biggest corporations to the thousands of medtech SMEs and start-ups - hinges on the ability to follow key design, testing, risk, validation and manufacturing principles. With approximately 600,000 medical devices on the UK market, what makes a good idea life changing? And when is the best time to fast track development to ensure you are first to market?
Commercial director Rory O’Keeffe, from Europlaz Technologies, identifies what to look for and what to be wary of when evaluating a reliable medical device manufacturer.
COLLABORATIVE OUTSOURCING Not all contract manufacturers are created equal. Some companies might be purely dedicated to making components. Others provide much more detailed input, sharing expertise, advising on design modifications and materials. For the partnership to really work, there needs to be this element of trust, collaboration and transparency.
“Collaborating with outsourcing partners who specialise in rapid prototyping, design optimisa- tion, or regulatory submissions can accelerate the development and commercialisation process. This can be crucial in gaining a competitive edge in the
ever-evolving devices market,” explains O’ Keeffe. A manufacturer’s understanding of the sustainability and governance landscape can also help to provide different interdisciplinary perspectives to OEMs. This is increasingly important given the focus on social value, product lifecycle footprints and the recyclability of materials and how these all increasingly link back to market positioning, notes O’ Keeffe. From seasoned OEMS at the largest Blue Chip pharma firms, to fledgling MedTech start-ups, the design-to-manufacturing principles are equally appli- cable, attests O’ Keeffe. Each developmental phase requires the same meticulous attention to detail:
January 2025 Instrumentation Monthly
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