*GE is expanding MIC and imaging product portfolio to achieve $800M revenue by 2010
*Designed and developed "in India for India" and markets worldwide
*Aims to bring technology on par with developed countries
*Early detection and treatment of jaundice in newborns can help counteract the increasing newborn mortality rate in India
*Expands GE's Maternal-Infant Care (MIC) product portfolio with launch of Lullaby™
*Targets $30M market in India plus exports
Bangalore, November 12, 2007 - GE Healthcare, the US$17 billion healthcare and life sciences solutions business of global major General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) today launched Lullaby™, a new blue Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) based Phototherapy System for the treatment of indirect hyperbilirubinemia, or jaundice in newborns. The Lullaby Phototherapy System, designed and developed at GE's R&D Centre in India, is part of their "In India, for India" program to make high end technology more affordable, reliable and more accessible to larger sections of society.
GE Healthcare plans to export the Lullaby Phototherapy System to Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Asia Pacific. The company forecasts sales of 1,000 Lullaby units in India in the first year and plans to roll out new MIC products in early 2008. GE Healthcare recently announced the launch of new range of MIC systems in association with Phoenix Medical Systems and SLE, UK to help support even the smallest centres in India.
According to Omar Ishrak, President and CEO of GE Healthcare's Clinical Systems business, "GE's clinical partnerships, technology leadership and continuous investment in healthcare solutions allow us to invite healthcare's top physicians 'to the drawing board' to re-imagine healthcare solutions. Together, we're developing innovative healthcare solutions to help address some of today's most pressing healthcare issues such as improving access to quality care in rural communities and developing regions of the world and, in developed regions, shifting to an 'early health' model of care."
"As a part of our overall business strategy, GE Healthcare plans to tie-up and acquire products in varied segments to become a complete solutions provider in the healthcare and life sciences space. With our recent tie up with Phoenix, we have now started manufacturing these products in India to expand our Maternal-Infant care portfolio. We plan to explore further opportunities to tap other potential segments," said V Raja, President and CEO, GE Healthcare South Asia.
According to various neonatal experts, jaundice is one of the most common conditions requiring medical attention in newborns. There are 133 million newborn babies in the world diagnosed with jaundice annually. About 8-10% of term infants and 80% of pre-term infants annually are required to undergo phototherapy for 3-5 days either at hospital or home.
GE Healthcare, a leading healthcare and life sciences solutions provider in India, aims to bring high quality, advanced technology Maternal-Infant Care systems such as the Lullaby Phototherapy system to market, to address the growing needs of mothers and babies. GE Healthcare is currently expanding its Maternal-Infant Care (MIC) and imaging product portfolio to achieve $800M target by 2010 in India.
As per the GE study in India many of the birthing centres do not have a phototherapy system to cope with newborn jaundice. This is a critical problem given that there are 32 million babies born every year in India. Non-treatment can result in serious brain damage, paralysis, deafness and even death. According to WHO, India accounts for one of the highest infant mortality rates -- 54 deaths for (and as high as 79 in some states like MP) every 1,000 babies born. Unfortunately, India is the largest contributor to the global under-five child death burden with 2,38 million and 64% of these coming from infant deaths. Emphasis on earlier detection and treatment of jaundice in newborns is the best way to counteract the increasing newborn mortality rate in India.
The Lullaby Phototherapy System, a unique phototherapy system, combines high levels of clinical performance and with a simple flexible design. Lullaby delivers phototherapy healing anywhere -- in the Neonatal ICU, Pediatrics ICU, and in a Well Baby Nursery. The Lullaby Phototherapy System is exceptionally durable and easy to maintain. It meets all International Electrotechnical Commission and Electro Magnetic Compatibility regulatory standards for safe operation and has incorporated new guidelines like the recommendations from the American Academy of Paediatrics . The long life of its robust high intensity lamps -- upwards of 1,000 hours -- makes Lullaby Phototherapy System a reliable performer, day after day, patient after patient.
The Lullaby, developed at GE's R&D centre as part of the "In India, for India" program aims to make high end technology more affordable, reliable and more accessible to larger sections of society. The current technology available in this segment in India is at least 6 years behind the technology available in the developed countries and does not necessarily meet the international quality standards. Importing of maternal infant care equipment attract 22% import duty making it ill affordable for most centres.
"In a world where too many women don't survive childbirth and too many newborns don't survive their first month, ensuring the health of every mother and infant is more than a social concern", said S Ganesh Prasad, Vice President, Clinical Systems, GE Healthcare South Asia. "GE Healthcare designed the Lullaby with both the newborn and caregiver in mind. Our goal is to provide maximum efficiency in intensive phototherapy, while making it remarkably simple to operate, even for a first-time operator," Added Prasad.
Lullaby Phototherapy System along with GE Healthcare's Billiblanket High Output system, can effectively provide double intensive phototherapy treatment. GE offers a complete portfolio of phototherapy products for treatment of hyperbilirubinemia. From an expectant mother's first visit to her obstetrician, to the days after mother and baby leave the hospital, GE assists healthcare professionals in supporting the specialized needs of patients and families across the entire maternal-infant continuum.
About GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, performance improvement, drug discovery, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies is helping clinicians around the world re-imagine new ways to predict, diagnose, inform, treat and monitor disease, so patients can live their lives to the fullest.
GE Healthcare's broad range of products and services enable healthcare providers to better diagnose and treat cancer, heart disease, neurological diseases and other conditions earlier. Our vision for the future is to enable a new "early health" model of care focused on earlier diagnosis, pre-symptomatic disease detection and disease prevention. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a $17 billion unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employs more than 46,000 people committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com.
Contact:
Manoj V Menon, Communications Leader
GE Healthcare South Asia
Mobile: +91-9845199852
E-Mail: [email protected]
Ritika Nijhawan/Shalini Menon
Genesis BM, Bangalore
Mobile: +91- 09886623787/ 09886215920
E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
Notes to Editor:
High levels of bilirubin can occur in the blood called hyperbilirubinemia. These high levels can be dangerous to a baby. It is important to obtain periodic blood samples to check the bilirubin levels and, if necessary, to treat jaundice to ensure the healthy development of your child. Phototherapy with or without a biliblanket is the most common form of treatment for neonatal jaundice. This treatment is used for a few days until the liver is mature enough to handle the bilirubin on its own. Some "normal" jaundice will disappear within a week or two without treatment. Other babies will require treatment because of the severity of the jaundice, the cause of the jaundice, or how old the baby is when jaundice appears.
Phototherapy (light treatment) is the process of using light to eliminate bilirubin in the blood. A baby's skin and blood absorb these light waves. These light waves are absorbed by the baby's skin and blood and change bilirubin into products, which can pass through their system. For over 30 years, phototherapy treatment in the hospital has been provided by a row of lights or a spotlight suspended at a distance form a baby. This would provide light shining directly on an undressed baby (with diaper on) whose eyes would need protection from the light with soft eye patches applied. Today, advancements in technology have led to a new phototherapy system which gives effective treatment without the inconveniences of conventional phototherapy treatment.
Billiblanket phototherapy is a developmental care product. This gives high intensity cold phototherapy for the treatment of jaundice without the need of eye to be covered, baby to be naked, day night cycle affected, reducing insensible waterloss and overall reducing stress to the baby during phototherapy
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