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German Firm Acquired by Kimberly-Clark

By HospiMedica staff writers
Posted on 09 Nov 2005

In a move designed to build on the company's airway management business, Kimberly-Clark (Dallas, TX, USA) has acquired Microcuff GmbH (Weinheim, Germany). Terms were not disclosed.

Microcuff has developed patented catheter technology that integrates micro-thin balloon components. The balloon membranes can be applied to numerous healthcare products and provide an innovative design platform for further device development. Specifically, the technology is expected to be used by Kimberly-Clark to develop clinical products that can help reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), an acute infection confronting hospitals and healthcare workers everywhere. Microcuff was founded in 2001 by Drs. Fred Gobel, Lothar Gobel, and Wolfgang Blecher.

"The acquisition of Microcuff is consistent with our Global Business Plan initiatives to introduce high-margin solutions for the operating room and infection control, much like the patient warming solutions that came out of the technology we acquired from Medivance two years ago,” commented Joanne Bauer, president of Kimberly-Clark Health Care. "The acquisition of Microcuff provides Kimberly-Clark with a unique technology that will be used to develop a variety of high-potential clinical products that can help reduce VAP and other healthcare-related infections.”

Related Links:
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