A Medical Device Daily
ProDrive Systems (Montreal) has launched ProDrive products nationwide in Canada with an exclusive multimillion-dollar agreement through Patterson Dental Canada (Vancouver), a dental products reseller.
ProDrive products include the upgrade turbine for brand handpieces, the patented triangular shank burs, and the ProDrive handpieces. The product changes dental handpieces, improving instrument cut speed, control and precision. ProDrive products have an engaged triangular drive system, an innovative locking turbine and bur design that outperforms friction grip designs.
"On the heels of a successful American launch in Q1 and Q2 2009, we saw a great opportunity to introduce our products to the Canadian market," said Richard St-Pierre, president/CEO of ProDrive Systems. "We are proud to have partnered with blue chip industry brands to develop and manufacture such a revolutionary product, and now our Canadian distribution agreement with the market leader, Patterson, is another indication of our growth and progress. We're proud to be working with the Patterson team to bring these products to Canadian dentists."
Andre Desjardins, CEO Patterson Canada added, "Our ProDrive field trials demonstrated valuable clinical benefits to the dentist and we are proud to be ProDrive's exclusive reseller partner in Canada. Patterson Canada has a legacy of successfully introducing new products to the North American market and we look forward to an important and lasting partnership with ProDrive."
In other agreements/contracts news:
• Covidien (Mansfield, Massachusetts) reported definitive agreements to sell its Sleep Diagnostics and Oxygen Therapy product lines and a proposal to sell its Sleep Therapy product line.
The decision to divest these three product lines was made following a thorough review and evaluation of a number of strategic alternatives. The decision is consistent with Covidien's strategy to streamline its portfolio and reallocate resources to its faster-growing, higher-margin businesses, where the Company has or can develop a global competitive advantage.
Covidien and Embla (Ottawa) have entered into a definitive agreement under which Embla will acquire Covidien's Sleep Diagnostics products, including design/development, sales administration, technical service and shipping facilities in Ottawa, as well as global sales and service functions.
Separately, Covidien and Chart Industries (Garfield Heights, Ohio) have entered into a definitive agreement under which Chart will acquire Covidien's Oxygen Therapy products, including the design, manufacturing, sales and service functions worldwide.
Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
The company also has proposed the sale of its Sleep Therapy product line.
On a combined basis, fiscal 2008 sales of these three product lines were about $175 million.
• Premier Purchasing Partners (Charlotte, North Carolina), the group purchasing unit of the Premier (San Diego) healthcare alliance has selected AeroScout's (Redwood City, California) healthcare visibility solutions as the exclusive Wi-Fi-based RFID solutions for Premier's member hospitals. Premier, a quality and cost improvement alliance of more than 2,200 U.S. hospitals and 63,000 other healthcare sites, awarded a three-year contract to AeroScout as a preferred provider for RFID Asset Tracking and Management Solutions. AeroScout solutions provide visibility into the location, status and condition of assets, patients and staff throughout all hospital departments.