Companies to help countries develop their own manufacturing capabilities for blood plasma products, reducing reliance on imports
CHALFONT ST GILES, England & PORVOO, Finland - Tuesday, November 22nd 2011 [ME NewsWire]
Alliance will help healthcare providers worldwide increase access to life-saving treatments
GE Healthcare, the healthcare business of GE (NYSE:GE) and Neste Jacobs Oy, a leading global expert in plasma fractionation plant engineering design and construction, announced today that the companies have formed a strategic alliance to assist countries worldwide to become self-sufficient in the manufacture of blood plasma products. The alliance will combine GE Healthcare’s expertise in bioprocessing for plasma fractionation with Neste Jacobs’s global bio-engineering and construction capabilities. Together, the companies will offer governments and pharmaceutical companies an integrated, cost-competitive “turn-key” approach for the construction of plasma fractionation plants, to help meet the rising worldwide demand for these potentially life-saving treatments. The alliance between the two companies aligns with GE’s healthymagination initiative, which focuses on reducing cost, increasing access and improving quality in healthcare.
Human blood plasma, the liquid component of blood, is the source of many proteins such as Factor VIII, Factor IX, Immunoglobulin and Albumin. These protein products, which are prepared from plasma via a process known as fractionation, are used to treat a wide variety of serious and often life-threatening conditions such as shock, trauma, infections, immunological disorders, Hemophilia A and B, and other blood disorders. The global demand for blood plasma products is predicted to grow from $13 billion in 2009 to an estimated $26.5 billion by 2015*. However healthcare providers in many countries, especially emerging nations, are unable to meet demand for these treatments. The World Federation of Hemophilia estimates that globally 400,000 people are living with hemophilia, of whom only 25% receive adequate treatment. Helping countries to become self-sufficient in the fractionation of locally collected plasma will overcome many of these unmet healthcare needs.
Olivier Loeillot, General Manager of Enterprise Solutions, GE Healthcare Life Sciences said “GE Healthcare is known as a leading provider of technologies for plasma fractionation. The alliance with Neste Jacobs means we can combine our expertise and our extensive process equipment, consumables and project management services with the world-class capabilities of one of the foremost engineering companies in this field. By working together to bring an integrated offering – from financing and construction of the plant, right through to training of the operational staff - we can make it much easier for governments and other healthcare providers to acquire these essential capabilities. This is a big step forward in bringing simple yet vital healthcare to people who, up to now, have been denied these treatments.”
Jarmo Suominen, the Managing Director and CEO of Neste Jacobs said “Neste Jacobs has over 30 years’ experience in the design of plasma fractionation plants, all over the world, and we’re delighted to form this alliance with GE Healthcare. We have a shared vision of bringing an integrated approach to plasma fractionation, to drive efficiency and simplicity in the construction of new plants. Combining the unique competences and know-how of our respective companies will help secure the delivery of turn-key solutions to the plasma products industry including construction of complete green field facilities. This alliance gives us an excellent opportunity to better serve clients investing in plasma fractionation world-wide."
* BCC Research , “The Blood Industry” Market Research Report, 2011
About GE Healthcare GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.
Our “healthymagination” vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com.
For more detailed information on GE Healthcare’s products for biopharmaceutical manufacture and plasma fractionation visit www.gelifesciences.com
For our latest news, please visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com
About Neste Jacobs Neste Jacobs is a preferred solution provider of high-quality technology, engineering, and project services for a wide range of industries in the chemicals and biotechnology fields. We have more than 50 years of experience in technology development and industrial investment projects in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, and are looking to grow in the expanding markets in particular. Neste Jacobs’ specific plasma fractionation experience reaches back to late 1970's, since then we have continuously provided successful plasma fractionation solutions to our customers.
For more detailed information on Neste Jacobs visit www.nestejacobs.com
Contacts
Media Contacts:
GE Healthcare
Dr Val Jones, Global Media Relations Manager
T +44 7917 175 192
E val.jones@ge.com
Neste Jacobs
Jarmo Suominen, MD & CEO
T +358 50 458 3399
E jarmo.suominen@nestejacobs.com
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