B. Braun and Philips to Develop Ultrasound-Guided Anesthesia

Braun Melsungen AG and Royal Philips have entered into a multi-year strategic alliance to innovate ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia and vascular access. B. Braun and Philips will leverage on their combined clinical expertise and R&D capabilities, as well as sales and service channels in regional anesthesia and pain management and ultrasound and image guided therapy, to jointly develop and commercialize solutions to support anesthesiologists and hospitals in critical areas of regional anesthesia. These solutions aim to enhance needle visualization and guidance, as well as optimize procedure workflow and resource planning. The alliance will also focus on vascular access procedures, such as those used to insert catheters into deeply seated veins as part of a catheter-based treatment.

As a platform for implementing their joint innovations, both the companies will launch the new Xperius ultrasound system in a cart as well as ultra-mobile tablet version. Xperius has been specifically designed to support the needs in regional anesthesia at the point of care, based on the input provided by clinical experts. The system offers an intuitive user interface and exceptional image quality for confident needle targeting and positioning, as well as ergonomic features such as the articulating arm. The Xperius platform will be co-branded and sold through B. Braun’s global sales network, while Philips will provide installation and service. Both the companies will offer education, training, service and support to anesthesiologists and healthcare providers for using the Xperius platform.

“Our customers are looking for fully integrated system solutions that address all aspects of their everyday work in caring for patients, including the enhanced efficiency needed to meet ever-increasing demand for their services,” said Dr. Meinrad Lugan, Member of the Board for the Hospital Care Division at B. Braun. “This new alliance with Philips illustrates our commitment to sharing expertise, not only with our customers, but also with other key technology players, to meet healthcare needs and challenges faced today and into the future.”

“Philips and B. Braun have a worldwide reputation for clinical innovations and a shared commitment to work with patients and care providers to optimize healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes,” said Rob Cascella, Chief Business Leader of the Diagnosis & Treatment Businesses at Philips. “By partnering with B. Braun, we have created a solution for ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia comprising the Xperius ultrasound system, decision support software, echogenic needles, and a suite of services. We look forward to jointly developing further innovations. This new alliance is a great example of our commitment to partnering with industry leaders with complementary skills to increase our footprint in the therapy market.”