PRESS RELEASE Antwerp 15.10.2010
EUROPE HONOURS FLEMISH DEVELOPMENT
MULTICARE’s Anti Reflux bed wins prestigious “Network Stars Award”
The Enterprise Europe Network plays a major role in the European Union’s strategy to stimulate economic growth and employment. This organisation unites over 580 enterprise supporting institutions from 47 countries. For Flanders, this is Enterprise Europe Network partner Agentschap Ondernemen. The network supports the internationalisation process of companies and helps with the prospection to potential international business and technology partners.
This year, the annual Enterprise Europe Network conference took place in the Antwerp Elisabeth Hall on 13, 14 and 15 October. During the opening day, companies were awarded with regard to 70 success stories. Each success story represents a contractual cooperation agreement realised by Enterprise Europe Network partners. The success story of Flemish company PEOS bvba MULTICARE with UZ Brussels and German company AirMed PLUS GmbH was given the award by the Head of Cabinet in charge of economy D. Gosselin and vice-president of the European Commission A. Tajani. This was awarded for the innovative character in the technological cooperation category.
The innovative character concerns new product MULTICARE Anti Reflux (AR) bed of the PEOS company, namely the back positioning of a baby at an angle of 40° or 50°, the design and material that is used to keep the baby safe and comfortable, the clinical evaluations supporting this and, last but not least, the social aspect offering this cheaply to families in need via a hiring system. German company AirmedPLUS will distribute the Anti-reflux bed on the German market, supported by the knowledge of PEOS and Prof. Dr. Vandenplas of the UZ Brussels.
The development of the AR bed, a project that was initiated in 2006 between PEOS bvba MULTICARE and UZ Brussels of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, is finding its way to Europe with this first international contract. PEOS will produce the anti-reflux bed in Belgium for the Belgian market and those of its neighbouring countries. Product licences will be concluded for other countries. The Enterprise Europe Network will assist in this internationalisation process.
Part of the proceeds of each MULTICARE AR bed is intended for the UZ Brussels fund that focuses on scientific research into children’s diseases.
After the medical world’s recognition of this therapeutic sleeping system for babies suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in August 2009, the company got numerous requests from specialised centres worldwide to share experiences with the MULTICARE AR bed. The beds are currently being tried out successfully in Europe, but also in far-away countries such as Brazil and Australia.
It is increasingly being determined that using the AR bed can seriously reduce medication or overuse of medication. The fast condition improvement in two out of three babies is constantly being confirmed. Adapting food is also a proven method in combination with the AR bed. In the near future, a multinational company in the specialised baby food industry will be approached to help support this project and to help propagate this new therapy on an international level.
In Belgium, the bed can be hired at Aprophar TGZ via the pharmacist.
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