International forum for clever ideas: Fresenius Inventors' Fair launches its 11th running - Registration now open

Fresenius provides an incentive to inventors for what often is a long path from their initial flash of genius to ultimately achieving a marketable product. In this endeavor, the health care group aims to promote innovative developments within all medical sectors. For the event's 11th running, bright minds will be able to present their ingenuity during the Fresenius Inventors' Fair. The biennial event will be staged in conjunction with MEDICA 2010, the world's largest medical trade fair, held in Düsseldorf Nov. 17–20. The adjunct fair offers participating researchers, developers and inventors an international forum to attract the attention of potential business partners and investors for the marketing and advancement of their initial innovations up to market-ready products. The top three entries are chosen on the opening day of the MEDICA event by an independent jury comprised of medical specialists and business professionals. The Fresenius Inventors' Award carries cash prizes totaling €10,000. Above all, recognition is based on the criteria of potential usefulness, innovativeness and feasibility of being implemented. Registration of entries for the competition is now open.

An engineer hailing from Karlsruhe, Dr. Nicole Kikillus was the winner of the 2008 Fresenius Inventors' Award. She developed a particularly reliable method of detecting atrial fibrillation in patients, even if no such fibrillation occurs during a medical checkup. This condition is the leading clinical type of cardiac arrhythmia and increases the risk of stroke. Kikillus' software analyzes a 30- to 60-minute single-channel electrocardiogram, yielding an early diagnosis of atrial fibrillation patients and enabling therapy to reduce the chances of stroke.

As of immediately, physicians, researchers, engineers and other practitioners from the hospital field and medical care profession can submit their entries for consideration. Fresenius will provide winning entries display space and an exhibit booth at the fair free of charge. Selected from among numerous professionals from all medical fields who entered the previous competition, 20 such exhibitors presented their innovations at the 2008 Fresenius Inventors' Fair.

The deadline for competition entries is Oct. 1, 2010. Further details about the Fresenius Inventors' Fair can be found at www.fresenius.com/inventorsfair; and about the MEDICA event at www.medica-tradefair.com. Contact: Fresenius SE; Keyword: "Inventors' Fair", 61346 Bad Homburg, Telefax: +49 61 72 - 6 08 22 94, E-mail: daniela.hegemann@fresenius.com.