Vetter Pharma, a Ravensburg, Germany-headquartered contract development and manufacturing organization for aseptic filling and final packaging of injectables, has launched a challenge for developing solutions for injectables medicines that are streamlined to user needs.

The challenge consists of multi-disciplinary teams participating in workshops and field-work. Four groups comprising a total of 20 participants will include students, medical and economic professionals, and Vetter staff. The initiative will apply what the company calls “Design Thinking,” a user-centered innovation method that involves direct communication with actual users of injection systems, including professional caregivers and patients. The campaign will continue until the end of September 2018 with the winning team receiving an award of EUR 10,000 ($11,786).

The user-centered innovation approach is based on direct integration of users from the first day of development work. For example, in the first field-work phase, participating teams will interview patients, doctors, and professional caregivers in healthcare settings that include nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and the home healthcare settings. Vetter says the goal is to use this information to address patient’s conscious and subconscious needs and any problems that arise when interacting with injection systems on a regular basis. Based on these results, the company says user-oriented ideas for solutions can be generated.

Vetter is conducting the Open Innovation Challenge in cooperation with the bwcon Innovation Academy. bwcon GmbH is a European technology network that brings together approximately 600 companies and research establishments.

Source: Vetter Pharma