With virtually all of Fresenius Kabi’s manufacturing staff in China returning to work post government-imposed COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, the company is ramping-up production back to normal levels. With a further stabilization of the situation, Fresenius Kabi also expects a gradual resumption of its sales force activities in China. Even though Fresenius Kabi faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine measures, there was no major interruption of production. Thus, the company can supply the Chinese population with essential pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Quirónsalud, the largest private hospital group in Spain and part of Fresenius Helios, is fully committed to supporting the national effort against COVID-19 with all available resources. Since the start of the crisis, Quirónsalud has worked in close and trustful cooperation with national and regional healthcare authorities to provide the best possible treatment to the greatest possible number of patients.
Quirónsalud’s network currently comprises about 400 ICU beds for adults in almost 50 hospitals across Spain. The company is undertaking significant efforts to further increase this number in the short term, while continuing to treat other patients who urgently need medical support such as for chemotherapy, giving birth, and other emergencies.
Despite the high number of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases entering Quirónsalud’s hospitals, the company has kept every hospital fully operational. This is to a large extent due to the outstanding commitment of Quirónsalud’s medical and nursing staff, who deserve the utmost recognition and gratitude. So far, Quirónsalud has also been able to secure sufficient quantities of medical materials for all its hospitals, despite rapidly rising demand for critical supplies.
In the course of the formal declaration of a ‘State of Alarm’, the Spanish government has temporarily obtained the right to direct all hospitals in the country, allowing the healthcare authorities to leverage all available resources to treat COVID-19 patients as effectively as possible. Such an option is embedded in the established crisis management plans of many other European countries as well. Quirónsalud fully supports this measure, as it allows centralized capacity management, and hence rapid responses to changing circumstances and a full dedication of the entire system to fight the coronavirus.
Rumors about a “nationalization” of Spain’s private hospital system are clearly wrong and without any basis. Quirónsalud continues to manage its hospitals, and is already operating the additional beds requested by the authorities, in the joint effort against the COVID-19 threat for the benefit of Spain and the broader society.
This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Future results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to certain factors, e.g. changes in business, economic and competitive conditions, regulatory reforms, results of clinical trials, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, uncertainties in litigation or investigative proceedings, and the availability of financing. Fresenius does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release.
Sodium Chloride 3% is the newest addition to the company’s IV solution portfolio.
With the launch of a Glucagon Emergency Kit, Fresenius Kabi offers an FDA-approved and cost-effective alternative to treat severe hypoglycemic episodes in people with diabetes. This is the company’s first pharma product sold and used primarily outside hospitals in the U.S.
Fresenius Kabi, Bio-Techne and Wilson Wolf have formed a new joint venture to support researchers and biopharmaceutical companies in the field of cell and gene therapy. The joint venture is owned equally by the three partners and will focus on providing scalable manufacturing technologies and processes needed to develop and commercialize new cell and gene therapies. No other financial terms were disclosed.
Fresenius Helios has started training experts in antibiotics management to combat the growing threat from multi-resistant bacteria. In the coming years, more than 600 doctors will be trained at the company’s 86 hospitals in Germany on the correct way to handle antibiotics. These doctors will raise awareness of the problem among colleagues and be available for consultations with them. In addition, Fresenius Helios is introducing a system under which each hospital will report on its antibiotics usage.
Busulfan, a drug for certain blood cancers, expands the company’s broad oncology portfolio.
Dicyclomine Hydrochloride Injection, an antispasmodic agent, expands Fresenius Kabi’s large and growing generic critical care portfolio.
Ertapenem, an antibiotic, expands Fresenius Kabi's anti-infective portfolio.
Fresenius Helios has awarded its inaugural Helios-Pro-Inno Prize for outstanding innovation and projects in patient care and hospital management. Three different projects at Helios Wuppertal, Helios Berlin-Buch and Helios Bad Saarow hospitals in Germany were honored: A color and lighting concept that demonstrably improved the well-being of intensive care patients and even reduced their need for certain medications; the appointment of a “Feel Good Manager” for resolving employees’ problems in the workplace, and an antibiotics reporting system developed in response to the growing threat from multi-resistant bacteria. A jury of eight members, from different occupational groups, chose the Helios-Pro-Inno Prize winners from more than 70 entries.