Cooperation: Always Vital; Sometimes Really Vital
By Le Bui, Nectar Product Development

Good working relationships are, of course, crucial to successful outcomes in any field. Still, when it comes to designing and marketing products with the potential to impact the health and quality of life of countless human beings, the need for cooperation takes on an entirely new meaning.

Nectar became keenly aware of this reality when we partnered with San Diego-based Benechill on the development and product design of the new RhinoChill, a device that induces therapeutic hypothermia, a condition used by medical professionals to cool the brain and reduce or prevent neurological damage resulting from cardiac arrest.

Clinical trials showed that early hypothermia therapy at the scene of a cardiac event could lead to far better outcomes relating to post-arrest brain trauma, so developing a highly portable version of the product turned out to be an essential element of the project. Using information and guidance from Benechill, Nectar conducted contextual research (observation of the user and device in its usage environment) as well as focus groups of health care professionals and EMTs. The information gleaned from these studies turned out to invaluable to the next stages of development.

Nectar's industrial design and product development team worked out how to optimize the device's size and form factor - its shape and configuration -- for maximum portability as well as its ease of use and storage in ambulances and other first responder work environments, while also keeping a high degree of serviceability and durability in mind. Paying close information to the information we had received from our studies and from Benechill, our engineers overcame weight and internal system component restrictions by applying more compact valve technology and other cost saving ideas. Disposable parts, including catheters, were redesigned for high volume plastics manufacturing. Also crucial in today's extremely cost conscious medical device industry, Nectar's production team found the means to source parts at 90% less than the original sample prices.

Considering all the variables involved, it really does come down to using teamwork - both internally and between partnered firms - to create a product practically so that it can take on the crucial work of improving health outcomes. With Rhinochill already in use in Europe and under investigational status in the United States (clinical studies are currently underway), the fruits of Benechill and Nectar's cooperation are well down the road to improving the lives of people all over the world.

(Le Bui is Director of Business Development at Nectar Product Development. Nectar sponsors Larta's programs, and recently presented at the NIH CAP Commercialization Training Workshop in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit http://nectardesign.com)