Ventec Life Systems
Ventec Life Systems is an American medical device company based in Bothell, Washington.
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Industry | Medical devices |
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Founder | Doug DeVries |
Headquarters | Bothell, Washington |
Key people | Chris Kiple (Chief executive officer) Chris Brooks (Chief strategy officer) Doug DeVries (Chief technology officer)[1] |
Products | VOCSN |
Website | www |
History
Ventec Life Systems was founded in Bothell, Washington, a suburb of Seattle,[2] by Doug DeVries.[3] According to the New York Times, Ventec is known for its VOCSN model, which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in 2017. The VOCSN is the size of a large toaster oven, and combines a number of functions that had previously been performed by several different machines to pump air into the lungs, suction out secretions, and produce oxygen when a central oxygen line is not available. It is used in critical-care hospital units and in home care.[4] Chris Kiple is the CEO of Ventec[5] and the Chief Strategy Officer of the company is Chris Brooks.[6]
VOCSN
Ventec developed the VOCSN unified respiratory system, which is a portable personal medical device that includes a ventilator, 6 L/min portable oxygen concentrator, cough assist, suction, and nebulization therapies for the patient.[7] The name of the device is an acronym derived from the names of these five functions.[8] It received FDA approval in April 2017,[9] and began to roll out in 2018.[10][11] The weight of the device is about eighteen pounds.[12] It is designed for use by both children and adults to treat conditions such as muscular degeneration, spinal cord injury, and underdeveloped lungs.[13] As of 2017 it was medically cleared for use in the US and Japan.[14]
On March 21, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, General Motors announced a partnership with Ventec Life Systems to produce ventilators. The partnership is expected to build 10,000 ventilators per month at GM's facilities in Kokomo, Indiana, using Ventec's VOCSN platform.[15][16] Ventec is one of twelve worldwide manufacturers of ventilators.[17] According to NBC News, its ventilators are transportable and include advanced data monitoring, as well as internal controls to make the most of oxygen consumption. The five-in-one technology compresses 55 pounds of equipment into 18 pounds, and it has a nine hour battery life.[18]
References
- https://www.venteclife.com/page/executive-team-board-of-directors
- "Ventec Life Systems". www.venteclife.com. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- "Ventec Life Systems raises $13M to scale one-of-a-kind portable life support device into new markets". Geekwire. 15 May 2018.
- Boudette, Neal E.; Jacobs, Andrew (March 30, 2020). "Inside G.M.'s Race to Build Ventilators, Before Trump's Attack" – via NYTimes.com.
- https://www.wibc.com/news/coronavirus/pence-tours-gm-plant-on-a-thank-you-mission/
- https://www.autoblog.com/2020/03/27/gm-ventec-ventilators-fema-balks-at-cost/
- "FDA Clears Ventecs Five-In-One Portable Respiratory Device". www.meddeviceonline.com.
- "This Portable Life Support Machine Can Do It All". www.bloomberg.com.
- "VOCSN: 'Not just another ventilator' - HME News". www.hmenews.com.
- "CMS proposal increases visibility of multi-function vents - HME News". www.hmenews.com.
- "Frost & Sullivan Innovation Award Goes to VOCSN - RT". RT.
- "Bothell startup's portable life-support device takes a weight off patients". The Seattle Times. 7 May 2017.
- "FDA clears Ventec Life Systems' VOCSN portable life support device". www.fiercebiotech.com. FierceBiotech.
- "5-in-1 Portable Respiratory Device for COPD, VOCSN, Coming into Use". 12 April 2017.
- Baker, Geoff (March 27, 2020). "Trump orders GM to make ventilators for coronavirus fight after it agreed to produce them with Bothell's Ventec". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- "GM will make ventilators as the coronavirus pandemic rages and hospitals face unprecedented stress". Business Insider. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- "CEO of ventilator maker speaks out as Trump invokes Defense Production Act". NBC News.
- "A small Seattle firm is on the front lines of the coronavirus fight". NBC News.