A Medical Device Daily

Hillenbrand Industries (Batesville, Indiana) reported that its Hill-Rom subsidiary, a provider of patient care environment and process solutions, has signed a license agreement with Kinetic Concepts (San Antonio) to develop and manufacture a therapeutic support surface for Hill-Rom's VersaCare and TotalCare Bed Systems.

"We want our customers to have access to a variety of support surface options that they can use on their VersaCare and TotalCare bed systems," said Jeff Kao, president of North America Acute Care for Hill-Rom. "Agreements with companies like KCI will help us provide a greater choice of surfaces that will best meet the therapeutic needs of patients."

The VersaCare bed system is designed to help deliver wound therapy and improved outcomes for patients and their caregivers in acute care environments. It is equipped with features to meet a variety of patient and caregiver needs, such as low bed height and LowChair positioning for easier and safer exit and entry, FlexAfoot mechanism to help keep patients in position within the bed, Turn Assist options, IntelliDrive power-assist transport system, and an Active Integrated Response treatment mattress.

The TotalCare therapy system is designed for use in the intensive care environment and to promote progressive mobility to assist patients through increasing levels of mobility. The bed features innovations such as Continuous Lateral Rotation Therapy, used when a patient is immobile, and then provides features such as Preliminary Tilt Table, FullChair Position and Stand Assist with Chair Egress for assisting patients to standing positions.

In other agreement news: Lifecore Biomedical (Chaska, Minnesota) said it has renewed its manufacturing agreement with Alcon Pharmaceuticals (Forth Worth, Texas).

Lifecore supplies hyaluronan to Alcon for use in Viscoat ophthalmic viscoelastic solution, which doctors use in eye surgeries such as cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation. The new agreement extends through December, 2013 and retains minimum purchase commitments and other features of the previous agreement.

"Renewal of the agreement extends Lifecore's long-standing relationship with our largest customer and the leader in the ophthalmic market," said Lifecore president/CEO, Dennis Allingham. "We are pleased that the renewal term has been extended by five years, and believe it provides another strong indication of Lifecore's commitment and capability to secure and hold partnerships with medical market leaders."