The NHS CEP works with over 40 partners, we contacted the team from Nestlé Health Science to find out more about their work and why they decided to partner with the programme
Tell us about your organisation
Founded in 2011, Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) is a globally recognised leader in the field of nutritional science, committed to redefining the management of health. We offer an extensive portfolio of science-based consumer health, medical nutrition and supplement brands.
Nestlé Health Science is headquartered in Switzerland, and we have more than 5,000 employees around the world with a presence in 66 countries, including the UK.
Approximately half of our business is dedicated to medical nutrition (products that are for use under medical supervision) and the other half is dedicated to ‘over the counter’ nutritional solutions. We cover the spectrum from young children to older adults; from individuals looking to help enhance their fitness performance, to those that need extra special nutritional care due to illnesses.
Our medical nutrition portfolio includes products and services recommended by healthcare professionals for patients with specific dietary needs related to illnesses, disease states or special challenges of different life stages. The current portfolio is focused on paediatric care, food allergy, adult medical care, and acute care.
Consumers are increasingly health-aware and informed, looking for nutritional solutions to help them lead healthier lives. In consumer care, we are combining science-based innovation and global research to address individuals’ unmet and emerging needs. Our products are found in pharmacies, retail shops and online. We are focused on the fast-developing areas of healthy ageing, healthy growth, gut health and metabolic health, type 2 diabetes in particular.
What does innovation and entrepreneurship mean to Nestlé Health Science?
We are motivated by the opportunity to forge a major role for nutrition in the management of health, generating value for people, patients, healthcare professionals and the healthcare systems as a whole.
Our Nestlé Product Technology Centre in Bridgewater, New Jersey, opened in 2018 and allows us to further strengthen our commitment to harness the power of nutrition to help empower healthier lives.
We are also on the lookout for acquisitions to address nutritional challenges, for example in 2020, we acquired Zenpep® and Viokace®, medications for the treatment of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) due to cystic fibrosis or other conditions.
They are for people who cannot digest food normally because their pancreas does not produce enough enzymes. Our experience in cystic fibrosis, gastrointestinal disease and other therapeutic areas for ZENPEP and VIOKACE give us a good understanding of patients’ needs, and our solid network of healthcare professionals allows us to provide education on these medications.
What made you decide to become a partner on the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme?
We are partnering up with the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme as we both have a common goal in innovation. Through this partnership we can explore synergies and work together on exploring current and new areas such as clinical research.
“We see a growing need for nutritional innovation and exciting opportunities to accelerate their arrival. Societies are ageing and age and lifestyle related diseases are spiralling, fuelling the need for effective and cost-effective dietary solutions. At the same time, scientific understanding of health, disease and the potentiality of nutrition – as an integral part of managing health and disease – is advancing. Working in partnership with clinical entrepreneurs allows progress to happen at pace, providing nutritional solutions in a more timely way”.
GREG BEHAR, CEO of Nestlé Health Science S.A.
We would like to explore ways in which we can work together to share ideas and get the clinical entrepreneurs working in research; whether that’s through prospective or retrospective data collection to clinical trials and Real-World Evidence (RWE).
For more information please visit the Nestlé Health Science website
The NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme is supported by over 40 partners, Nestlé Health Science one such partners. They help support, shape, and develop the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme. Our partner network provides opportunities for our Clinical Entrepreneurs including internships, access to NHS test and evaluation sites, academic and commercial, knowledge exchange and connection to customers.
If your organisation is interested in Partnership opportunities, please contact the team at cep@aru.ac.uk
TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE THROUGH INNOVATION
