A Medical Device Daily

Baxter International (Deerfield, Illinois) reported a collaboration with DEKA Research & Development (Manchester, New Hampshire) and HHD(location?), for the development of a next-generation home hemodialysis machine. Baxter and DEKA have collaborated on other successful products in the past, most notably on the design and development of Baxter’s HomeChoice automated peritoneal dialysis machine.

In connection with the collaboration, Baxter has purchased an option to acquire the assets of HHD, and will fund DEKA’s related research and development activities. Baxter may also make future royalty payments to DEKA. In accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Baxter expects to record a special net pre-tax charge of up to $25 million (or 4 cents per diluted share) for in-process R&D associated with this transaction in 3Q07.

A number of small-scale clinical trials have found that more frequent and longer dialysis treatments, which are more achievable through at-home therapy options, may result in significant short-term and long-term clinical benefits for patients such as fewer hospitalizations, better anemia control and improved blood pressure management.

Baxter International assists healthcare professionals and their patients with the treatment of complex medical conditions, including hemophilia, immune disorders, cancer, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma and other conditions.

“This will give us the opportunity to offer two forms of highly effective at-home dialysis, peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis,” said Sarah Prichard, MD, VP of global medical/clinical affairs and research for Baxter’s Renal business. “In addition, patients who are on a home dialysis therapy also see an improvement in their quality of life, as they have greater flexibility and control as to when they receive their treatment.”

DEKA is a research and development company.

In other agreements: Allscripts (Chicago) reported that Electronic Medical Resources (EMR; Houston) will provide the Allscripts Electronic Health Record (EHR) and practice management solutions to physicians in Independent Practice Associations (IPAs) nationwide. The two companies also said that IntegraNet (Houston), an IPA representing some 1,000 primary care and specialty physicians, has agreed to deploy the Allscripts solutions via Electronic Medical Resources initially for 150 physicians.

IntegraNet said it plans eventually to implement Allscripts for several hundred of its physicians, it said. To encourage utilization, it will provide physicians who adopt the HER up to a 25% premium on their annual IPA bonus — a figure that the company estimated could amount to as much as $60 to $120 per patient.

The Allscripts EHR enables physicians to instantly access patient information when and where they need it — in the clinic, at the hospital or while on-call at home. The web-based solution speeds and automates everyday clinical tasks such as prescribing and refilling medications, ordering and viewing tests, and documenting care.

EMR is a national information technology firm formed to provide information technology systems and support for the medical field.

Allscripts is a provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions that physicians use to improve healthcare.