Boehringer Ingelheim hails Healthcare Innovation World Cup winner

Boehringer Ingelheim has honoured the winner of the Healthcare Innovation World Cup, an international diabetes innovation challenge it helped to fund.

Organised by public health teaching and research organisation Hitlab, the contest invited participants to propose solutions for improving diabetes prevention and management, while competing for a $75,000 (49,700 pounds) prize pot.

The winning project was a pill bottle developed by AdhereTech that wirelessly transmits data, measures medication and sends patient reminders, with team members Josh Stein, John Langhauser and Mike Morena claiming $50,000 in prize money.

Boehringer Ingelheim senior vice-president and competition judge Klaus Wilgenbus said: "We are impressed with AdhereTech's prototype and the feasibility of their business model and believe the solution has merit in supporting medication adherence."

Earlier this month, the company announced it will be carrying out collaborative research with the Structural Genomics Consortium into a range of previously incurable diseases, including diabetes.