Aerogen Wins Medical Technology Company of the Year Award

Galway based Aerogen Ltd has won the Medical Technology Company of the Year Award 2013 and the University of Limerick has secured the Medical Technology Academic, encompassing the Emerging Medical Technology Award at this year’s Medical Technology Industry Excellence Awards, which took place last night in Galway’s Radisson Blu Hotel.  

The Awards, which are jointly hosted by Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the Irish Medical Devices Association, a business sector within Ibec, are now in their seventh year and recognise and reward best practice in the medical technology sector in Ireland.  

There were two Silver Awards announced on the night with Abbott (Longford) receiving the Silver Medical Technology Company of the Year Award, and NUIG scooping the Silver Medical Technology Academic, encompassing the Emerging Medical Technology Award.

Congratulating award winners Colm MacFhionnlaoich, Manager Life Sciences Department at Enterprise Ireland said “Congratulations to both Aerogen and the University of Limerick on their wins. I’m delighted that Aerogen, an indigenous Enterprise Ireland client, won this award against such stiff competition from both home grown and international companies. Likewise the University of Limerick stood out for its exceptionally successful collaboration with Cook Medical.”

Commenting on the awards Sinead Keogh, IMDA Director said, “These awards really showcase the very best that the medical technology sector in Ireland has to offer.  All those who entered, be they indigenous or multinational companies, demonstrated that they were operating at the very highest levels of best practice and each exemplified the world class innovation which is taking place here in Ireland”

Commenting on the medical technology sector Andrew Vogelaar, Head of Medical Technologies, IDA Ireland said, “The sector is of key importance to the Irish economy and has continued to grow year on year.  Exports in 2012 rose by 10% to €7.9billion compared to 2011 and Ireland is one of the largest exporters of medical technologies in Europe.  The sector employs 25,000 people in 250 companies, half of which are indigenous.  The future looks bright for the med tech sector in Ireland and I’m very much looking forward to an equally successful 2014.”

Medical Technology Company of the Year Award  

Aerogen is an innovative medical device and drug delivery company specialising in the design, manufacture and commercialisation of aerosol drug delivery systems.  

It was recognised for its project entitled ‘Clear Vision and bold strategies: Aerogen’s key to success’. From Aerogen’s MBO in 2008 it has implemented successful strategies to drive global business growth from the Galway base (30% CAGR). Aerogen has developed a world leading aerosol technology enabling critical drugs to be delivered directly to the lungs. Through a successful R&D and manufacturing strategy, along with a targeted and focused commercialisation plan the company has delivered best in class medical device nebuliser solutions. Through its high performance team the company has created a holistic approach to medical device business development encompassing sales, marketing, engineering, manufacturing and customer care.  Aerogen’s products are now used in Intensive Care Units in more than 60 countries around the globe, providing optimum care to the most critical patients from pre-term babies to adults. As the company continues to grow and prosper, the impact of Aerogen’s success can be seen from the one million patients who have benefited from the superior performance of Aerogen products.

Commenting on winning the Company of the Year Award John Power, CEO & Managing Director at Aerogen said, “It is a great honour for Aerogen to be recognised as the Medical Technology Company of the Year 2013. As an Irish owned company we are immensely proud of the fact that our life saving products are sold in over sixty countries around the world and that today Aerogen is a recognised global brand leader in acute-care aerosol drug delivery.”  

Medical Technology Academic, encompassing the Emerging Medical Technology Award  

The University of Limerick (UL) has a long tradition of close collaboration with industry and business across many of the manufacturing sectors in Ireland including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, ICT and engineering.

Its award winning project involved an innovative partnership between UL and international medical devices company COOK Medical, which was supported through the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership Programme. The project resulted in scientists and engineers from the University of Limerick and COOK Medical inventing a new metal that will make medical devices inside the body more visible under X-ray. This project is a successful case of industry-academia collaboration in implementing breakthrough innovation into commercial products that benefit patients worldwide.

Commenting on winning the Medical Technology Academic, encompassing the Emerging Medical Technology Award, Dr Mary Shire, VP Research, University of Limerick said, “This award endorses the University of Limerick’s focus on translation of research to affect the real world. This project is an example of where Irish research is cutting edge, has significant commercial value and ensures better therapy for patients. The success of this project can be attributed to a real team effort between COOK and UL.”  

Medical Technology Outstanding Contribution Award  

The prestigious Medical Technology Outstanding Contribution Award was given to Dr Jim Browne, President of NUIG.  For over 25 years, Jim has been a key driver in the promotion of a strategic and integrated approach to the development of the MedTech sector in Ireland.  

An industrial engineer by background, he is passionate about the need for industry and higher education to work together.  Universities are the means of generating the human capital which the MedTech sector requires: a well-educated and trained workforce; a strong culture of research; and an ecosystem of innovation. During his tenure as Dean of Engineering, up to 2001 at NUI Galway he established the first accredited undergraduate degree programme in Biomedical Engineering in Ireland.  Since then, as Registrar, Deputy President and now as President, he has continued to lead a prioritised research agenda in the area of Biomedical Engineering Science.  Jim has led the development of a complementary range of interdisciplinary research centres and programmes at NUI Galway including the: National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES), Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) and Network of Excellence in Functional Biomaterials (NFB) to name just a few.  These initiatives have resulted in a world-class clinical, research and people infrastructure at NUI Galway.  

The remaining shortlisted organisations including Medtronic, Nypro Healthcare Ireland, Arann Technologies, BioInnovate Ireland and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) were all highly commended for their excellence.