ResMed Inc, Poway, Calif, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Saime SA, Savigny, France, a leading developer and distributor of ventilation products in France and Germany. ResMed has agreed to acquire Financiere ACE SAS, the holding company for Saime SA and its affiliates, for an enterprise value of approximately 86 million euro, consisting of approximately 40 million euro in equity, and approximately 46 million eueero in net debt.
“The acquisition of Saime will complete our line of home care ventilation products and immediately expand our market presence and distribution network in Europe and other regions,” says Peter C. Farrell, PhD, ResMed’s chairman and chief executive officer. “The VS and Elisee range of products are sophisticated, yet easy to use for physicians, clinicians, and patients. We believe these devices will complement our VPAP III and AutoSet CS devices and will allow us to provide the full range of options for patients who need ventilatory assistance.”
ResMed expects to finance the acquisition with a combination of existing cash reserves and debt.
Distribution Partnership
MAQUET, Bridgewater, NJ, and the Cardiopulmonary Corp, Milford, Conn, announced their distribution partnership for the Bernoulli ventilator alarm system for the critical care hospital market. Bernoulli provides instantaneous monitoring of ventilator alarms and patient values, making the data readily available from remote points of care as well as pagers or handheld devices. This enables the clinician to respond to an alarm situation quickly.
“Our solution provides the utmost quality of care for acutely ill patients,” says James W. Biondi, MD, chairman and CEO of Cardiopulmonary Corp. “MAQUET is a market leader in the world of ventilation, with an expertly trained sales force and superior clinical vision,” says Robert Glinski, vice president of sales, Cardiopulmonary Corp. “We provide expert solutions for customers of critical care, so it was a natural fit for both companies.”
Agreement Reached
Vectura Group plc, Chippenham, UK, and Arakis Ltd, Little Chesterford, UK, have signed a global development and commercialization agreement with Novartis, Basel, Switzerland, for their collaborative product AD 237, a once daily, long-acting anti-muscarinic agent for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). “We believe that AD 237 will play a major role in the expansion of the COPD market, which is underserved today but set for dramatic growth over the coming decade,” says Chris Blackwell, PhD, chief executive of Vectura. “Our objective is for AD 237 to be launched as a differentiated once-daily anti-muscarinic having potential patient benefits over the competition, in this rapidly expanding market.”
Asthma Management Award
Optima Health, Virginia Beach, Va, has been granted an award for asthma management from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management recognizes Optima’s innovative 7-year program to control environmental factors in patients’ homes that trigger asthma attacks.
“The health care community can make significant contributions to the quality of life of millions of people living with asthma by educating patients about the environmental irritants and allergens that can trigger their attacks,” says Tom Kelly, US EPA indoor environments division director. “EPA congratulates Optima Health for their innovative approaches to environmental asthma management and treatment programs.”
Respironics Licenses DRM
Axeda Systems Inc, Mansfield, Mass, announced that Respironics Inc, Murrysville, Pa, has licensed the Axeda® DRM system for remote monitoring and proactive maintenance and service support of its Esprit® Critical Care Ventilators. “At Respironics, we are always looking for innovative ways to raise the bar for the service we provide to our customers and our products,” says Dick Ellis, director of hospital services. “Our company selected the Axeda DRM system based on its superior performance and security, and we are very excited to provide this best in class, remote service solution to our customers. This new maintenance and repair services product will be marketed under the name Respi-Link,” he says. “Implementation of Respi-Link will allow our customers to change software and options on a schedule convenient to them and also receive remote assistance from our technical staff in the event it is needed.”
OSA Diagnostic Technology
The University at Buffalo has signed an agreement with Sleep Solutions Inc (SSI), Pasadena, Md, to commercialize and distribute an innovative diagnostic testing technology for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and Cheyne-Stokes respiration. “This technology represents a substantive advancement in the way OSA can be diagnosed,” said Michael J. Thomas, president and CEO of SSI. “This new product will broaden our portfolio of services of less expensive, more patient-friendly diagnostic testing products delivered directly to OSA patients in their homes.”
Acquisition Announced
Respironics Inc, Murrysville, Pa, recently acquired Mini-Mitter Co Inc, Bend, Ore, a 34-year-old, privately held company, which develops and markets sleep and physiological monitoring devices. “This acquisition is consistent with Respironics’ strategic direction to broaden our presence in the sleep market beyond our core obstructive sleep apnea business,” said John Miclot, president and CEO of Respironics. “Mini-Mitter’s innovative technology will enable us to expand our current position and access new markets that we have identified as key to assuring our continued growth and leadership in the broader sleep market.” The base cash purchase price is $10.5 million, with provisions for additional payments to be made based on Mini-Mitter’s operating performance over the next 2 years.
