ANAHEIM, CALIF. — Lubrizol Corp. is doing more than getting by with a little help from their friends. The Wickliffe, Ohio-based specialty chemical company is deepening relationships to speed new medical devices to market.
In a new joint partnership, Lubrizol LifeSciences and Cleveland Clinic Innovations will work together to identify and speed the development of groundbreaking pharmaceuticals and medical devices, the company said at the 30th annual Medical Design & Manufacturing West trade show and conference Feb. 11.
“Cleveland Clinic Innovations is committed to the identification, development and commercialization of healthcare technologies with forward-thinking collaborations that can extend and improve human life,” said Gary Fingerhut, executive director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations, in a press release. “This is a mutually beneficial relationship that will enable both organizations to connect on complimentary initiatives that will ultimately benefit patients globally.”
Lubrizol brings to the table an in-depth understanding of polymer solutions while the Cleveland Clinic will provide expertise in evaluating, validating and commercializing medical technologies in addition to access to its physicians, researchers and partners in the Global Healthcare Innovations Alliance.
"More than just knowledge transfer will happen," said Lubrizol LifeSciences Vice President and General Manager Deb Langer in an interview at MD&M West. "We've worked with the Cleveland Clinic for awhile now but this new alliance means we will be working faster, giving each other higher priority. We're getting access to the doctors and they're getting access to more of our services, including Vesta and PSI."
Last August, Lubrizol acquired Wisconsin-based Vesta, a contract manufacturer specializing in short- and long-term implantable devices, for an undisclosed amount. Three months later, the company announced an alliance with Particle Sciences Inc. PSI, based in Bethlehem, Penn., is a drug development company offering contract formulation, analytics and manufacturing.
Lubrizol and the Cleveland Clinic will first take a deeper look into advanced drug delivery systems, Langer said, particularly focusing on topical and film applications.
