- HealthBeacon has today launched its Green Labs facility in Dublin, with the event being officiated by Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar T.D.
- HealthBeacon and their first Green Labs partner, Novartis Ireland have come together to utilise the Green Labs to create a platform to provide innovative sustainability solutions quickly and easily for patients on Novartis treatments.
Dublin, April 8, 2022- HealthBeacon plc has today launched its Green Labs facility in Dublin, an innovative space that will enable a circular economy for pharmaceutical clients and an R&D centre for sustainable solutions for sharps waste in Ireland. The launch was officiated by Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD. Leo Clancy, CEO Enterprise Ireland and Audrey Derveloy, General Manager and Country President, Novartis Ireland were also in attendance.
HealthBeacon is a leading Irish digital therapeutics company that develops products for managing injectable medications for patients in the home. The company’s most recent peer-reviewed published evidence demonstrated up to a 26% improvement in injectable medication adherence by patients using its technology1.
HealthBeacon and Novartis Ireland have now formed a partnership to utilise the Green Labs to create a platform to provide innovative sustainability solutions quickly and easily for patients on Novartis treatments. The first chapter of this partnership is the provision of reusable sharps bins to rheumatology, dermatology and neurology patients. Smart technology reminds the patient to take their medication and notifies them when their sharps bin is nearing capacity. The full sharps bin is then collected from the patient’s home, undergoes a validated washing regime and can then be returned to the patient for re-use, ensuring an environmentally friendly service for patients.
According to the World Health Organisation, each year an estimated 16 billion injections are administered worldwide2. HealthBeacon Green Labs is a positive step towards addressing the global challenge of sustainably managing patients’ waste and supporting pharmaceutical companies to engage in more sustainable waste management practices. As an indigenous Irish company, HealthBeacon currently employs over 50 staff at their Dublin headquarters and operates across multiple markets with significant presence in the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
In his remarks, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar T.D. commented, “We need to take better care of our planet. This generation should aim to pass it on to the next in a better condition than we inherited it. A big part of this involves using fewer of the earth’s resources and recycling, repairing and reusing materials more often. It’s called the circular economy. Medical waste I know can be a particular challenge given the need to make sure quality and safe standards are high and consistent and sterile to prevent infection. But there are solutions. I’m really happy to officially open this Green Labs facility from HealthBeacon. Congratulations to the team on their first partnership with Novartis Ireland too. I’m sure it will prove to be a beneficial collaboration for both partners.”
HealthBeacon CEO and Co-founder Jim Joyce said of the Green Labs launch “Unfortunately, today billions of injectable waste devices and 100's of millions of sharps bins end up in household trash, landfills or incineration facilities. Today, in partnership with Novartis in Ireland we are taking a major step in reversing those unsustainable practices by launching our new EPA licensed Green Labs facility. This facility will allow us to sustainably process Sharps Bins and Injectable waste across Ireland. Together through innovative solutions and partnerships we can improve patient care in a more sustainable way.”
Leo Clancy, Enterprise Ireland CEO, said: “Enterprise Ireland is proud to partner with HealthBeacon as they continue to play an important role in improving patient outcomes by harnessing smart technology. This latest step in their journey, as they partner with Novartis, also brings sustainable practices to the fore which is critically important, as the transition to a low carbon and circular economy is a whole of society challenge, and I congratulate both firms for their efforts in this space.”
Audrey Derveloy, Country President of Novartis in Ireland said of the HealthBeacon-Novartis partnership, “Novartis are proud to partner with HealthBeacon on this project. We know from feedback from patients in Ireland, and with the increased provision of healthcare in patients’ homes, that it is more important than ever for organisations to partner on developing sustainable solutions to medical waste management. Novartis’ goal is to optimally treat disease, with the HealthBeacon “smart” sharps bin being just one example of a beyond the pill solution designed to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients. This new partnership gives us the opportunity to go a step further and work to provide a fully circular pharmaceutical supply chain for patients in Ireland, moving Novartis closer to its ambition to be carbon neutral across our supply chain by 20303.”
About HealthBeacon
Headquartered in Dublin, HealthBeacon is an Irish digital therapeutics company that develops products for managing injectable medications for patients in the home. The HealthBeacon Injection Care Management System tracks adherence and persistence with medication schedules through the provision of medication management reminders, safe and sustainable sharps disposal devices, educational tools, and artificial intelligence (AI) driven data analytics. The Company operates in 17 countries primarily across Europe, North America and the United Kingdom employs more than 50 people and has obtained more than 30 design and utility patents. Peer reviewed evidence demonstrated up to a 26% improvement in injectable medication adherence by patients using its technology. The Company’s mission is to become the world’s leading digital therapeutics platform for injectable medications.
About Novartis Ireland
There are approximately 108,000 people working for Novartis around the world. Novartis Ireland currently employs about 1,500 people across three locations in Dublin and Cork. The Innovative Medicines Division (Pharmaceuticals), the Novartis Global Service Center (NGSC), and Novartis Gene Therapies are located in Dublin. Novartis manufacturing (NRL) is based in Ringaskiddy (Cork). Find out more at @NovartisIreland on Twitter or novartis.ie
Media contact:
For Novartis
Richard Brophy
Edelman
[email protected]
For HealthBeacon
Drury
[email protected]
[email protected]