European Medical Manufacturing Suppliers Directory Index

Yorkshire Forward

Victoria House, Victoria Place
Leeds, LS11 5AE UK
Tel: +44 113 394 5757
Fax: +44 113 243 1088

Web: http://www.investinyorkshire.com
E-mail: info@investinyorkshire.co.uk

YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER LEADS WAY FOR BREAKTHROUGHS IN MEDICAL DEVICES

The leading role of the Yorkshire and Humber region of northern England in medical device development and production reflects its standing at the forefront of innovation in healthcare technologies generally.

This sector was one of a handful identified by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward several years ago as meriting particular nuturing, in its quest to attract more investment into the area.

That assessment was based on factors such as the groundbreaking research already being undertaken by universities in the region and the considerable presence of the UK's National Health Service (NHS) there, which provided numerous opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

The success of Yorkshire Forward's subsequent efforts, which include providing financial and other assistance to companies looking to establish presences in the region, is evidenced by the fact that the area now has around 360 healthcare technology companies. Employing 10,000 people and adding about £500m to Yorkshire and Humber's gross value each year, they include several major players which are based in the region and their number is growing at no less than four times the UK average.

Identifying one reason for the developing success, Yorkshire Forward chief executive Tom Riordan said: "The companies benefit from a ready supply of specialist expertise, as we have one of the highest concentrations of top-quality universities in Europe, including three medical schools and other healthcare-related departments, many of which are graded extremely highly for research. These help the region to produce 3,000 medical and dentistry graduates each year."

"The region also boasts two of Europe's largest teaching hospitals and four teaching hospital trusts, whose surgeons now benefit from being part of one of the world’s best-developed healthcare supply chains – the NHS."

Where medical devices in particular are concerned, Yorkshire and Humber now boasts significant expertise in research and development, manufacturing and supporting activity. This relates to surgical instruments, implantable devices, medical and assistive equipment, consumables, and prosthetics and orthotics, among other areas.

Leading device manufacturers based in the region include Depuy, the top designer, maker and distributor of orthopaedic implements and supplies, whose headquarters for all global operations outside the US are in Leeds.

But perhaps most eye-catchingly, the region is now home to an array of innovative centres of industrial collaboration (CICs) - specialist reseach and development units involving groundbreaking partnerships between academics and industrialists.

One example is the Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering CIC in Leeds. Its services relating to medical devices include: the Future Vision programme, helping companies understand the impact of emerging technologies; applied research, product design and development; and preclinical testing and evaluation, plus performance analysis (including test facilities for orthopaedic implants and cardiovascular implements).

The Materials Analysis and Research Services CIC in Sheffield supported local company The Medical House in developing the first-ever needle-free insulin delivery system prescribed via the NHS. And Huddersfield's Precision Technologies CIC is at the forefront of micro and nanoscale metrology of medical devices and is developing new ultra-precision manufacturing capability for organisations producing them.

Finally, Bradford's Pharmaceutical Innovation CIC offers equipment-related services covering microscopy, spectroscopy, molecular and elemental mass spectrometry, NMR, x-ray diffraction, particle size and shape analysis, chromatography and thermal analysis.

Complementing the groundbreaking work going on at these and other locations in the region are organisations such as Medipex and Medilink (Yorkshire & Humber).

Medipex is the region's NHS innovation hub, managing the commercial exploitation of ideas originating there. To date, it has identified over 350 with promise, developed around 50 of these and secured commercial deals – such as licensing, spin outs and direct sales – for about a dozen. The organisation is currently a partner in research contracts worth more than £1.6m.

Professional trade association Medilink brings together medical device companies, hospitals, universities and business support agencies, to stimulate innovation and new product development. It also provides a gateway for the many national and international clients interested in developing relationships – commercial, research or clinical – with the region's medical sector. Medilink supports businesses in identifying sources of intelligence and funding, developing supply chain networks and opening doors to other like-minded organisations.

Summarising all this activity, Mr Riordan said: "There's no doubt Yorkshire and Humber is now one of the foremost regions in the world for developing and producing medical devices. We're confident that when more organisations become aware of the unique benefits we offer, including a much lower cost of living than many other areas and excellent transport links to the rest of the UK and Europe, they too will want to become involved in the exciting work taking place here."

Categories this company is listed under in the European Medical Manufacturing Suppliers Directory:

• Consultants: Business development (70 companies)