The CÚRAM Medical Devices Research Centre in Galway is taking part in a European programme to help high-risk medtech get to the market.
Two pressing issues in European healthcare are rising costs and the great variety in diagnoses that require different solutions, often delivered through medtech.
Against that background the TBMED (test bed for high-risk medical devices) project aims to provide development support to medtech classified as high-risk under EU regulations.
CÚRAM is one of 13 European partners in the project which has received €8.5 million in funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework.
Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director at CÚRAM in NUI Galway said TBMED will help patients get access to emerging medical devices.
He added that partnering in this project will help in, “strengthening the growth and development of SMEs in Ireland through the Open Innovation test bed’s unique approach.”
The TBMED will help companies accelerate the development of medical devices and with experts on clinical investigations and an advisory health technology assessment team to make sure that the development process shows evidence of health and safety.
The programme will be making use of GlycoBone®, keratoprosthesis and new magnetic nanoparticle devices to improve cancer treatments based on hyperthermia.
By using three very different case studies, TBMED hopes to attract a broad range of applications and create a one-stop-shop providing Medtech companies with open access at fair conditions.
The Spanish Research Institute CIDETEC is coordinating the project which involves partners in Spain, France, Ireland and Germany.
Iraida Loinaz from Fundación CIDETEC Nanomedicine said the project will work towards a sustainable approach to development of new medtech “through the strategic involvement of existing European clusters and the use of collaboration opportunities.”
“Our aim is to strengthen the growth and development of SMEs in many different regions and increase their chances of success by bringing them in contact with potential investors interested in new products.”
