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Medtronic has collaborated with technology partners and governments to drive new ventilator production in support of Covid-19 patients across the world.
By the end of April, the company expects to manufacture more than 400 ventilators a week and over 700 by the end of May. By the end of June, Medtronic’s target is 1,000 ventilators a week.
Medtronic said that over the next six months the production ramp-up is expected to generate over 25,000 ventilators across all platforms.
Separately, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorisation (EUA) to its Puritan Bennett 560 (PB560) ventilator, enabling its use in the country for the Covid-19 patient treatment.
The PB560 is a compact, lightweight and portable ventilator that can be used in clinical settings and at home. It is expected to be available in the US in May.
Launched in 2010, the ventilator is currently sold in 35 countries around the world.
The company has also announced limited market release of a new remote management capability for its Puritan Bennett 980 (PB980) ventilator with two US hospitals. It allows clinicians to adjust the ventilator settings outside of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), reducing the chances of cross-infections.
Depending on the feedback, Medtronic aims to expand the market release of PB980 later this month.
Last month, the company increased ventilator production by more than 40%.
The company has started publicly sharing the design specifications for the PB560 to allow participants across the world to evaluate options for rapid ventilator manufacturing at scale.
Medtronic received more than 90,000 registrations for the venture, which is expected to help doctors and patients dealing with Covid-19.
