Irish Innovation Collaboration Boost For The Middle East’s Healthcare Providers

Prof. Dr. Oran Rigby,the founder behind the company that will be launching the world’s first AI-driven Precision Clinical Trial Matcher will be attending Arab Health this week. Rigby’s  Dublin based company, Akkure Genomics, will be alongside a large delegation of some of the most exciting, innovative, and leading Irish companies from the medtech and life sciences sector exhibiting in Ireland’s pavilion at the region’s biggest healthcare exhibition event in Dubai, Arab Health.

Signalling the importance of Arab Health to Irish companies in the Medtech, healthcare, and life sciences sectors, Ireland’s Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation, Dara Calleary T.D. will be visiting Dubai to support the 21 Irish companies present on the ground, at the exhibition, which are backed by Ireland’s government agency for trade and innovation, Enterprise Ireland.

In the Medtech and life sciences sectors, Ireland has forged a strong global reputation for groundbreaking innovations, and these Irish companies now export worldwide to healthcare providers to support better outcomes for patient care. Recognised as the home of high-tech healthcare, Ireland is one of the world’s top five Medtech hubs with nine of the top 10 Medtech businesses based there. It also sees 18 of the top 25 medical devices manufacturers based in the country, demonstrating the strength of the uniquely collaborative ecosystem that includes academic support and world-class research centers.

Commenting on Ireland’s participation at Arab Health, Ireland’s Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation, Dara Calleary T.D., said “I am delighted to visit Dubai to meet our long-standing existing partners as well as the opportunity to engage with new ones in the healthcare sector. With Ireland’s strength and expertise in developing world leading innovation, Irish companies are well positioned to provide the solutions that the healthcare providers need in the region. Globally, the Irish Medtech industry exports to over 100 countries every year, worth over €13bn, making Ireland the second-largest exporter of Medtech products in Europe.”

Adding that, “Dubai and the wider region is a key market for Irish companies to bring their innovation across a range of sectors which is evidenced in the rise year on year of exports. Last year alone, we saw an 18 percent rise in exports to the India, Middle East and Africa region to a record €1.45bn, all of which was brilliantly supported by our network of Enterprise Ireland market advisors based right across this region.”

Minister Calleary welcomed a series of key announcements and partnerships taking place this week by several of the Enterprise Ireland supported companies, participating at Arab Health including:

• Akkure Genomics will be attending Arab Health ahead of the launch of the world’s first AI-driven “Precision Clinical Trial Matcher” taking place in the coming months. The Akkure trial matcher will use artificial intelligence in order to precisely match patients to clinical trials all over the world based on the patient’s genomic and medical information. Five years ago, less than one per cent of clinical trials used genetic data to determine eligibility for trial matching, today 10% of trials use genetic data, heralding in the era of precision medicine and in 10 years’ time nearly 100% of clinical trials will most likely be using genetic data for trial matching. Founder and CEO of Akkure Genomics, Prof. Dr. Oran Rigby, is a leading specialist in the use of robotics and technology in medicine.
• ACETECH will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Saudi based SAHAB National Company in an agreement to extend ACETECH’s services further into Saudi Arabia. This will lead to the supply of Ambulance vehicle solutions to government bodies in the country providing the technology enabling EMS services throughout KSA to provide critical care to patients when needed. ACETCH is a global supplier of software and vehicle solutions for the emergency services market. It designs innovative cloud-based fleet performance software, specialist modules (for safety, eco-friendliness and asset protection) and intelligent control systems for healthcare providers and government bodies.
• Oriel Marine Extracts will be launching a unique range of liquid Magnesium, Minerals and Trace Element Health Supplements extracted directly from EU protected deep sea waters off the coast of Ireland. Irish technology, globally patented, sustainable, organic, natural transforms these minerals to a the most bioavailable Free Ion form with up to 100% rapid absorption via Oral, Sublingual or Transdermal use. Six years of published science supported by Enterprise Ireland and EU funds with one of Irelands leading Universities, Dublin City University, brings liquid supplementation to the Middle East. Science outputs include cardiovascular, immune function, inflammatory response, genetic biomarkers, skin health, burncare, wound care, recovery, sleep, menopause and anxiety.
• Vitalograph is in a phase of rapid growth and expansion into the Middle East. For 2023, Vitalograph has completed the revamping of its entire range of respiratory diagnostic solutions and will be launching it all together for the first time at Arab Health. The range includes their exciting new Vitalo PFT series, which delivers versatile and accurate pulmonary testing solutions for use in secondary care.
• Enterprise Ireland backed, Fleming Medical continues to expand with the appointment of three new partners in the region expanding its market footprint into KSA, UAE and Iraq. Fleming Medical currently service over 1,800 retail stores in several GCC countries.
• Leading digital Healthcare platform provider, myPatientSpace launches a Digital Patient Support Program in partnership with Manzil Healthcare Services. This program aims to offer comprehensive and branded solutions to support patients in their diabetes journey. Launched in UAE and Kuwait this program will connect diabetic patients, to physicians, and care coaches and allow educators to work with patients throughout the region, remotely.

Leading the Irish trade agency’s participation at Arab Health, Eamon Sikafi, Commercial Counsellor at Enterprise Ireland MENA, said “Once again, we are looking forward to participating at Arab Health to showcase our leading capabilities in the medtech and digital health sectors. With so many close ties existing between the region and Ireland’s healthcare industry, Irish innovation is ever present in healthcare provision which is delivered daily to help improve patient outcomes for residents in the region.”

Other Enterprise Ireland client companies showcasing Ireland’s strength in the Medtech industry on the Ireland pavilion at Arab Health include:

• AmRay Group Ltd.: A global leader in providing radiation protection for the medical, healthcare and industrial sectors in global markets. AmRay Group offers best-in class protection solutions to diagnostic imaging professionals and the patients.
• CF Pharma Ireland Ltd.: Cf Pharma is an ISO 13485 and HACCP accredited company based in Ireland that manufactures a range of novel specific Health Food Supplements, Medical Device Formulations and Advanced Topical Dermatological Solutions for both the Human and Animal Healthcare.

• Elave by The Gardiner Apothecary: Since 1934, since Joseph Gardiner founded the first family apothecary in Ireland, the Gardiner family have been creating skincare solutions, including Ovelle and Elave Sensitive Skincare brands, which combine their expertise in traditional formulations with the latest dermatological advances to provide expert, cruelty-free, sustainable, safe sensitive skincare.

• EnteraSense Limited: EnteraSense has designed and developed PillSense, a sensor-based capsule for diagnosing and monitoring Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeds, a potentially life-threatening abdominal emergency.

• Head Diagnostics: Head Diagnostics has developed an easy-to-use portable medical device to support the diagnosis and management of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and other neurological disorders including stroke, multiple sclerosis, brainstem death and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Their technology provides a direct, quantitative and objective measure of brainstem function in just 3 seconds, capturing high-quality, enriched patient data to support early diagnosis, monitor treatment and improving clinical outcomes while lowering healthcare costs.

• Medentech, part of the Kersia Group: A world leader in infection prevention solutions, Medentech is committed to driving a significant positive health impact globally by improving access to safe drinking water and reducing surface contamination by developing, manufacturing and marketing cost effective disinfection solutions.

• Novaerus: For over a decade, Novaerus has been providing medical-grade solutions that address a global problem; unhealthy indoor air. Led by a dedicated and highly skilled team of scientists, the company took a fundamentally different approach to air dis-infection, which led to the transformational discovery of NanoStrike – the unique, patented technology at the core of all Novaerus portable air dis-infection devices today.

• Trulife: Trulife is an internationally based and managed group engaged in the creation, development, manufacture and marketing of niche healthcare products. The Group activities encompass Orthopaedics, Prosthetics, Breastcare, Seating Solutions and Pressurecare positioners for use in the operating room.
• Wellola: Built by clinicians for clinicians and working with leading healthcare organisations in public and private sector across the UK and EU, Wellola provides a highly modularised, highly interoperable patient communication platform, designed to complement existing systems in a given healthcare ecosystem.

With a packed four-day programme, Arab Health is expected to attract over 60,000 leading healthcare providers from all over the world, all of whom look to Ireland for solutions, with the hope of co-developing and commercialising new medical technologies with Irish innovation at its core. Ireland has clearly played a huge role in shaping global healthcare and that role looks to be growing even further.