Trade News
Pullach, Germany 25 February 2016 – Linde Healthcare, a global business of The Linde Group, today announced the new beneficiaries of its REALfund initiative, a programme supporting ideas and projects with the potential to improve patient outcomes and health economics across the wide field of respiratory medicine.
Selected from many high quality applications from leading clinics and research organisations around the world, three grantees of the REALfund will receive funds to support their innovative research:
PD Johannes Bickenbach MD and Professor Michael Dreher MD, University Hospital Aachen, Germany, will investigate if exacerbations of invasively mechanically ventilated COPD patients can be predicted by an algorithm based on software analysis of data which will be read out from the ventilator.
Thomas Bitter MD, Heart and Diabetes Centre Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, will study if high flow oxygen therapy could serve as a new therapeutic approach to treat patients suffering from Cheyne-Stokes respiration associated with Chronic Heart Failure.
Professor Christopher H. Fanta MD, Brigham and Women’s hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, plans to develop a smartphone app which is able to alert COPD patients about deterioration in their breathing and to provide recommendations for patient-initiated first actions to prevent serious exacerbations of their conditions.
Dr Christian Wojczewski, Head of Linde Healthcare states: “Linde Healthcare continues to be committed to co-operating with researchers from around the world to support research and innovative developments in the area of respiratory medicine. The newly awarded REALfund grants fit very well into Linde Healthcare’s footprint as global healthcare organisation specialising along an integrated respiratory care path. The work of these researchers, when realised, will help healthcare professionals, support healthcare systems and further improve the quality of care and life for patients.”
Grantees of the REALfund are selected with the help of medical and scientific experts and will be supported in their continued research. Dr Konstantin Fiedler, Head of Innovation at Linde Healthcare states: “The aim of Linde Healthcare’s REALfund initiative is to seek and reward ideas that have real potential to be developed into better respiratory care solutions for patients. We are proud of having received many high-quality applications from different regions around the world. We commend all applicants to the fund for their commitment to innovation and idea development in this area of healthcare. The grantees saw the potential in their projects and we at Linde Healthcare are delighted to recognise and reward the ideas that will truly benefit patients.”
Further information about the REALfund is available at
www.linde-realfund.com
About Linde Healthcare
Linde Healthcare is a global leader specialising along an integrated respiratory care path. It combines pharmaceutical gases, medical devices, services and clinical care into solutions with the patient in mind. Its products and services make a difference in the lives of its patients and to its healthcare partners in the care continuum from hospital to home. A global business unit of The Linde Group, it is present in over 60 countries and generated revenues of EUR 3.059 bn in 2014 and employs 16,643 employees.
For more information, visit Linde Healthcare online at
www.linde-healthcare.com
About The Linde Group
In the 2014 financial year, The Linde Group generated revenue of EUR 17.047 bn, making it the largest gases and engineering company in the world with approximately 65,500 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
For more information, see The Linde Group at www.linde.com
REALfund grantees project titles:
- PD Johannes Bickenbach MD and Professor Michael Dreher MD - Project title: ‘Detecting COPD exacerbations and need for hospitalization with software analysis for invasive mechanical ventilation.’
- Thomas Bitter MD - Project title: ‘High-Flow-Therapy for the treatment of Cheyne-Stokes-Respiration in chronic heart failure: A randomized, controlled, cross over trial (FLOAT-CS).’
- Professor Christopher H. Fanta MD - Project title: ‘Voice analysis for the detection of changes in lung function in obstructive lung diseases.’