In the quest for a greener planet, PharLyfe+ is leading the charge in sustainable healthcare with their innovative medicated oral films. Founded by Associate Professor Dr. Chan Sui Yung, Honorary Fellow at the Department of Pharmacy under the Faculty of Science, and Dr Tan Poh Leng, this start-up is set on reducing the carbon footprint of the pharmaceutical industry.
Medications commonly given in the form of injections, pills, syrups, and inhalers produce a significant amount of pharmaceutical and biohazardous waste. The carbon emissions of global healthcare activities make up 4 to 5 percent of total world emissions, with the majority coming from industrialised countries. Some drugs and dosage forms have particularly high carbon footprints due to their complex manufacturing processes and the use of environmentally significant precursors that generate toxic and radioactive waste.
Additionally, aging populations and changes in disease patterns have increased healthcare carbon emissions. Practices like overprescription, antibiotic resistance and drug dependency significantly reduce the effectiveness of healthcare services and increase the overall cost of treatments.
“The pharmaceutical industry generates a lot of waste. Our goal is to create a simpler and greener way to deliver essential medication by eliminating the need for additional medical devices and bulky packaging and disposables,” explains Dr Chan on the environmental benefits of their innovation.
By replacing syrup bottles, tablet packaging and plastic injections with easy-to-administer oral films, PharLyfe+ significantly reduces medical waste. The medicated oral films require fewer ingredients and less energy to produce, making them an environmentally friendly alternative.
Taking medication is safer, painless and more discreet through oral firms
PharLyfe+ oral films come in 10 and 20-cent coin sizes and are designed to dissolve quickly in the mouth, providing a rapid onset of action without the need for additional administering device such as medicine spoons, cups, syringes or needles. This makes taking medication painless, safe and discreet for patients.
“Ongoing stability studies have demonstrated that our films have a shelf-life of at least 3 months,” explains Dr Tan, “which is significantly more than the 14 days for traditional syrups.”
In addition to their longer shelf-life, these films provide a patient-friendly solution by catering to the specific needs of paediatric, geriatric, and palliative care patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets, poor vascular access and cannot take injections. PharLyfe+ is significantly improving patient care, minimising the need for invasive and stressful medication-administration methods.
The inspiration behind PharLyfe+ medicated oral films come from the founders' personal experiences. Dr. Chan and Dr Tan saw the struggles patients faced with traditional medications and sought to find a better solution.
“As pharmacists and mothers, we saw firsthand the stress and pain our children and elderly parents experienced with injections and pills. We knew there had to be a better way,” recalls Dr. Chan.
Their journey to find a solution began with the support from NUS Enterprise’s Graduate Research Innovation Programme (GRIP), which helps postgraduates and researchers bring their deep tech innovations to market. The three founders enrolled in GRIP-run 8 and received funding in January 2023 before incorporating their start-up in February 2023.
Expanding into overseas markets
Looking ahead, PharLyfe+ aims to expand the reach of their innovative products within Southeast Asia and then globally. Currently targeting hospices, hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies, the team envisions creating a home-based kit where caregivers can compound and bake their films without the need for frequent hospital visits to collect medication. Healthcare institutions can benefit from reducing their overhead costs for manpower, disposables, and biohazardous waste, while ensuring more efficient medication rounds and better patient compliance.
"Our goal is to transform the administration of medications, making it easier and more sustainable for healthcare providers and patients alike," says Dr Tan.
PharLyfe+ is also preparing to start clinical trials at two major hospitals and is actively seeking investors and pharmaceutical partners to grow.
As PharLyfe+ expands its reach and continues to push the boundaries of sustainable healthcare, their commitment to empowering patients with dignity and independence through their innovative, safe and painless medication solutions endures.
PharLyfe+ is a name to watch in the world of sustainable healthcare. For more info, visit: https://pharlyfeplus.com/
