Ten teams selected for finals; Metamorphosis 2012

The competition to develop matching innovative business plans ( by B school students) for innovative technologies ( in health care, mostly by independent innovators) enters the final phase- ten teams were invited to make presentation at ISB on 25th Feb 2012.The innovations selected include, Sritailam herbal oil, Cosmetic Formulation for Lipsticks/ Eye Shadow/Rouges with Natural ingredients, Mechanism to check counterfeiting of drugs, Spherical swabs for medical application,Vigor-herbal drug for erectile dysfunction, Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer , Water based spermicidal contraceptive.

Innovating for every women, every child

The report, 'Innovating for Every Woman, Every Child', published  by The Lancet, highlights business models that could harness new infrastructure to improve the health of women, children and infants in low-income countries. Examples include LifeSpring Hospitals in India, a chain of low-cost hospitals that provide healthcare to urban women who earn roughly US$3–$6 a day; text message printers that connect African laboratories to community clinics via mobile phone networks; D-Tree International in Zanzibar, which provides health workers with easy-to-use mobile phones that guide them through the screening, examination, counselling and treatment of patients; and a safe, affordable and long-lasting meningitis vaccine called MenAfriVac, designed specifically for Africa.

INTELLI-IDEAS : Open innovation platform of Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson Consumer & Personal Products Worldwide,  invites innovators to submit their  patented/patent pending ideas on INTELLI-IDEAS .  Some suggested areas:

GENERAL TARGETS

• Biodegradable "green" materials
• Plant-derived ingredients
• Taste masking ingredients
• Aqueous based bitter taste modifiers
• Mucoadhesive formulations
• Ingredients with pleasant/ highly perceptible sensations on skin and/or mucosa
• Consumer friendly fine mist delivery devices
• Consumer friendly routes of administration (other than oral)
• Unit-dose packaging
• One-handed dispensing
• Easy open child-resistant closures

SKINCARE

• Immediate wrinkle removal by topical products
• Oral compounds for acne rosacea
• Skin cancer (actinic keratosis)
• Skin lightening (fairness)

DENTAL

• Novel oral rinses
• Periodontal disease treatments
• Products for treatment and prevention of plaque and gingivitis

PAIN AND ITCH RELIEF

• Consumer-friendly devices for pain relief
• Products for itch relief

NUTRITIONAL

• Nutritional ingredients/products for glucose, fat control and lactose intolerance

UPPER RESPIRATORY

• Sore throat symptom relief
• Common cold prevention
• Allergy management

Sahajanand Laser Technology SUSHRUTA Innovation Award (SIA) 2012

The Sahajanand Laser Technology SUSHRUTA Innovation Award (SIA) is a nationwide competition in India  for the most innovative Medical Device Idea / Prototype. The competition is open for groups of students  pursuing degree (Bachelors / Master Level / Ph.D) under Biomedical Engineering, Medical Technology or related subjects from a recognized Indian University / Institution. The project / idea should be related to Medical Devices / Technology. 

The unique feature of the competition is that students need not come out with new ideas, they can build on the prior work done in the institute. 14 teams get 3 months time and grant of Rs 40,000/-  for each team to improve the existing and all invited to participate in an international exhibition on Medical Technology and Equipment.

Last date 15th October. Contact:  DL Pandya, dlpandya@gmail.com

Grand Challenges in Global Health 2011

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced Round 8 of its Grand Challenges Explorations, a $100 million grant initiative to encourage innovation in global health and development research. Proposals are being accepted through November 17, 2011 at 11:30 am Pacific Daylight Time. The initiative offers scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs from around the world the opportunity to win $100,000 grants to pursue unconventional ideas that could transform health and agricultural development in the world’s poorest countries. The topics in this round are:

• Protect Crop Plants from Biotic Stresses From Field to Market
• Explore Nutrition for Healthy Growth of Infants and Children
• Apply Synthetic Biology to Global Health Challenges
• Design New Approaches to Optimize Immunization Systems
• Explore New Solutions in Global Health Priority Areas

The proposal process makes it easy to apply. The initiative uses a streamlined, straightforward, online grant-making process. Applications are two pages, and preliminary data about the proposed research are not required. Proposals are being accepted online at www.grandchallenges.org/explorations.

The Gates Foundation and an independent group of reviewers will select the most innovative proposals, and grants will be awarded within approximately four months from the proposal submission deadline. Initial grants will be $100,000 USD each. Projects showing success will have the opportunity to receive additional funding up to $1 million USD over two years.

Innovating for More Affordable Health Care

This sponsored supplements is offered as free to download e book  by Stanford Social Innovation Review. Contains articles on scaling up remote patient monitoring, views of doctors, innovators, investors etc. 
URL;  http://stanford.ebookhost.net/ssir/digital/12/

Affordable Health Innovations- World Health Care Congress

This global initiative brings together innovators and investors in affordable health care. There are 23 innovations listed under Hospitals and Health delivery, including 2 from HMRI, 1 from Life Spring Hospitals.

With 104 Mobile, remote rural populations are regularly visited by a network of 475 specially equipped Mobile Health Units (MHUs). 104 Mobile is a technology enabled, comprehensive, once a month Fixed Health Date Service for the rural poor located beyond three kilometers from any public health provider. Each MHU is equipped with the latest health care facilities and trained paramedical staff to conduct preliminary medical investigations and distribute medicines.

Telemedine is an innovative need-based cost-effective point of care technology offering comprehensive telemedicine solutions in rural India. Its aim is to reach the under-serviced rural populations through modules such as tele-ENT, tele-dermatology, tele-medical and surgical consult, tele-cardiology, tele-ophthalmology, rapid diagnosis of diabetes, etc. (HMRI) telemedicine service develops a point of care, user-friendly, cost-effective, integrated multi-functional device for rural telemedicine applications with emphasis on general physician functionality. 
LifeSpring Hospitals offers high quality maternal health care at an affordable price for low-income women and children in India LifeSpring Hospitals is an expanding chain of maternity hospitals that fills the void of high quality maternal healthcare for India’s lower income population. LifeSpring’s services are offered for 30 to 50 percent of prevailing market rates. The fee of a doctor’s consultation is Rs. 75 (US $1.60), and the all-inclusive price of a normal delivery in our general ward is between Rs. 2,000 to 4,000 (US $43 to $86).

How much it costs to develop a new drug?

What is the cost of developing a new drug ( new chemical entity/new molecular entity) ? 

MNCs quote $1.32 billion and this is based on estimate of $802 million in 2000. 

While not denying Drug discovery is expensive and long drawn, the estimates were always taken with disbelief. 

Now read this from David.

Paper: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/biosoc/journal/v6/n1/abs/biosoc201040a.html

PWC Medical Technology Innovation Scorecard

PwC’s Medical Technology Innovation Scorecard: The race for global leadership assesses nine countries’ capacity and capability for medical technology innovation: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, United Kingdom, United States. 

On a scale of 1 to 9, USA tops the list with score of 7.1, followed by Germany (5.4), UK(5.4), France (5.0), Japan (4.8), Israel (4.6), China (3.4) , Brazil (2.7) and India (2.7). India scores poorly on Innovative resources , Innovative output, Technology in market. India has 700 medical device companies as against 4,000 in China, India has 137 researchers per million of population while as China (only next to USA) has 1070 researchers per million.

We have a long way to catch up with China.

3nethra wins Piramal Prize 2010

Forus Health Care, start-up from Bangalore, innovator of 3 nethra, a patented, non-Mydriatic Pre-Screening system was awarded Piramal Prize 2010 in the Emerging ventures category.  The technology venture is promoted by a group of seniors, Dr Shyam Vasudev, Director of Technology, Philips Innovation Campus, Bangalore, Chandrasekhar, NXP Semi conductors, Padmanabha Holla, Philips Healcare and others. 3nethra provides multiple digital imaging functions ( retinal imaging, cornea imaging, auto refraction) in one device built around innovative optics system. Patented intuitive control software facilitates rapid detection of diabetic retinopathy,  cataract, symptoms of glaucoma and refraction errors. The product is under evaluation at Arvind Eye care. 


IRENE nanocoating, Axio Biosolutions, TATVA and Healthpoint Services were other finalists. IRENE Nanocare solutions, start-up from IIT Kanpur takes the research of Prof Sunder Manoharan on drug free, polymer nano coted stent to market. The venture is backed by Pramod Haque, VC from USA. The patented technology is available for license. contact: ssunder@iitk.ac.in. 
Axio Biosolutions, start-up from Ahmedabad  is promoted by technopreneur Leo Mavely, addresses the problem of traumatic bleeding. It replaces cotton gauze in effective to stop major bleeding and is a low cost substitute for expensive imported products.This life saving product is under clinical testing and entrepreneur is looking for business partners. contact  leo.mavely@axiobio.com . 
TATVA is start-up by Saurav das & Srinivasan from Stanley Medical College, Chennai partnering with Gurlivleen & Satya of NIT Suratkal. The product Amrita is a hand held device loaded with decision support system to empower village level health workers with protocols for common ailments. They are looking for incubation support. 
Health point solutions promoted by Amit jain and backed by Al Hammond has set up demonstration projects at few places in Punjab offering medicines, water and diagnosis with tele medicine under one roof. The project is available for replication all across the country and rural entrepreneurs can contact amit.jain@globalhealthpoints.com

The competition executed by CIIE-IIMA attracted many more start-ups and CIIE offers to mentor the winners, finalists and all other participants.

Sanitary pad made from banana tree fibers

Elizabeth Scharpf is the founder of Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE) has been awarded the 2010 Curry Stone Design Prize for development of a locally produced and distributed sanitary pad that enhances women’s dignity and allows better access to education and occupation. Elizabeth has an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MPA in international development from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a BA from the University of Notre Dame. 

Details: http://currystonedesignprize.com/recipients/2010/sustainable_health_enterprises

Dr Shantaram Kane offers technology to prepare low cost Herbal formulations

Dr Shantaram Kane is a Chemical Engineer (B.Tech.-IITBombay, Sc.D. - MIT-USA) and has come up with an innovation backed by two Indian Process Patents which reduces the daily dose requirement of any natural product by a factor of 100 to 1000. The process is a simple kitchen technology and consists of chopping the herbs, mixing them with water and sesame oil and cooking to boil off water. The mass is then filtered to get the super-active oil extract. He made such extracts from more than 100 herbs and other biomass. These oils have been successfully tested in over 1000 volunteers for a wide variety of ailments including G.I. Tract problems, Lipid lowering, Insulin dose lowering, joint inflammations, skin inflammations and neurological systems. The average annual herbal requirement for a person will be just 30 gm per year. A small kitchen can easily make in one year 1500 kg of super-active oil containing 150 kg of starting herbal material. This will be sufficient to provide complete annual requirements of 5000 persons.
            Dr Kane now wish to make this invention available to millions of people. Interested- See:
 http://www.whcchealthinnovations.org/poster-detail.cfm?PosterID=67

Major surgery-comparision of costs India and USA

How much it costs to get a Heart surgery done in India or a dental implant.
See the comparision at:
http://www.indian-medical-tourism.com/medical-tourism-india-price-benefits.html

Also read panel discussion Health Care in India: An Evolving Market for Founders and Investors

Call for Global Health Challenge Design & Research Project Proposals

Beyond Traditional Borders at from Rice University is multidisciplinary educational program with the aim of training next generation of students to reach beyond traditional disciplinary and geographic borders to understand, address, and solve global health disparities.Students in the Beyond Traditional Borders program will participate in a Global Health Challenge design course, undertaking a year-long project.The University is in the initial stages of assembling a portfolio of global health challenge design and research projects for these multi-disciplinary teams of undergraduates.
You can share your ideas at: http://cohesion.rice.edu/collaborations/btb/projectsform.cfm

India as destination for affordable health care

India has become favoured destination for affordable health care not just because of cost difference but also due to innovations in medical practices mastered with wide base of patients. Read this post on Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). There are also linkages to:

1. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in India: Get it done in low cost
2. Diverticulosis & Obscure Bleeding Treatment In India at Low Cost-India
3. Child Surgery In India At Affordable Low Cost–Child Surgery India Cost
4. Pediatric Surgery In India At Affordable Low Cost – Pediatric India
5. Ulcers Treatment In India at Affordable Cost-Ulcers Surgery India Cost

Bharat Biotech’s REVAC-B+TM – Hepatitis B Vaccine Crosses 150 million Mark

Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL/Bharat Biotech) www.bharatbiotech.com the multi-dimensional biotechnology company specializing in product-oriented research, development and manufacturing of vaccines and bio-therapeutics announced today that it has crossed production and delivery of morethanthan 150 million doses of REVAC-B^+TM, recombinant hepatitis B vaccine since its launch in October 1998. REVAC-B^+TM has been marketed and sold in more than 30 countries worldwide with manufacturing and quality standards on par with USFDA, EMEA and WHO guidelines. The Vaccine has established an excellent safety and efficacy profile since its launch 10 years ago.
In his comments, Dr. Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech said, “The success of REVAC-B^+TM bears testimony to our solid emphasis on R&D to develop vaccines that carry excellent safety and efficacy profiles. The Next Generation REVAC-Bmcf (Thiomersol and Cesium Chloride Free^*) Recombinant Hepatitis-B Vaccine manufactured by us are cost-effective and address the safety concerns expressed by parents and members of the medical profession.” He added.

Bharat Biotech is a major supplier of the Cesium Chloride Free Hepatitis-B Vaccines, It has taken steps to ensure a smooth transition for customers from the traditional Hepatitis-B vaccine to the new preservative-free REVAC-Bmcf (Thiomersol and Cesium Chloride Free^*) vaccine apart from effectively upgrading and optimizing production technologies to ensure the phasing out of thiomersol as preservative in some of BBIL products.

REVAC-Bmcf (Thiomersol and Cesium Chloride Free^*) vaccine contains the same components utilized in BBIL’s previous Hepatitis-B vaccine, but now it is supplied preservative-free in a single-dose vial. Bharat Biotech had successfully manufactured a preservative-free pediatric vaccine of a highly reputed MNC on a contract basis and the product was exported to a regulated market in Far East.

A great success story of an Indian innovator who returned to India to make India the global centre for affordable heath care.