July 1, 2020, Rockville, MD USA – SECO USA, a subsidiary of SECO SpA, a leading high-tech manufacturer of computer miniaturization and “ready-to-use” IoT integrated systems, with shareholder FII Tech Growth fund backed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, today announces that multiple Biorespira Pulmonary Ventilators will be donated to hospitals in the U.S., with priority given to Black communities. Biorespira is a non-invasive pulmonary ventilator that delivers oxygen to patients with difficulty breathing in a closed loop system, easily operated by nurses and in-home care providers. By prioritizing the donation of Biorespira Pulmonary Ventilators to facilities in Black communities, SECO USA hopes to reach people who too often have to wait for the most effective healthcare in times of crisis.

Biorespira provides healthcare providers with a device designed to oxygenate adult patients without intubation in almost any location - outside of an ICU, in hospitals’ general medical wards, nursing homes or private residences. Due to the clarity and simplicity of the interface, nurses, in-home care providers and family members require only minimal training to operate Biorespira.

Biorespira was created as a high flow system, providing an adjustable percentage of oxygen from 21% to 100% and a flow rate between 10 to 120 L/min. Using medical helmets or a non-vented face mask with Biorespira ensures a closed loop system, nearly eliminating the chance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 passing from patient to caregiver.

Driven by the desperate need for ventilators during the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy, Italian Biomedical Devices (IBD) S.r.L, a local technology company led by Dr. Corrado Ghidini, MD, DDS, MBA, quickly created the noninvasive and portable ventilator, going from concept design to first prototype build in just 5 weeks. An existing relationship with SECO SpA evolved to include distribution of Biorespira worldwide.

“Doctors around the world agree that assisted lung ventilation is the only effective therapy for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia with ventilatory impairment,” explained Dr. Ghidini. “I’m eager to see Biorespira deployed and helping patients fight the effects of pneumonia and respiratory insufficiencies around the world, especially in communities that face challenges in receiving top quality healthcare.”

“At SECO USA, we feel it is vital to make the life-saving capabilities of Biorespira available to people in Black communities in the United States,” said Greg Nicoloso, CEO for SECO USA. “SECO USA has partnered with IBD to bring the Biorespira Pulmonary Ventilator to the U.S. market – our goal with this donation program is to deliver this vital capability to under-resourced hotspots in time to reduce deaths from COVID-19.”

The pre-EUA application for the Biorespira Pulmonary Ventilator has been submitted to the Food and Drug Administration. Units will be available in early July, once approved by the FDA through EUA or other certification.

To be considered to receive a donated Biorespira Pulmonary Ventilator, contact [email protected]. Donation units are limited.

About SECO

SECO is an Italian group with a leading global position in the sector of embedded technology and Internet of Things (IoT). Since 1979, it has been designing and producing embedded systems – industrial computers that are integrated into a client’s machine or tool, activating its functions and permitting interaction through touch/video interfaces. SECO collaborates with a broad network of strategic suppliers in the international high-tech panorama (including Intel®, AMD, NXP, NVIDIA®, Wind, and Telenor), as well as with universities, research centers and innovative start-ups, and operates on a global scale with offices in Italy, Germany, the U.S., India and Taiwan, employing more than 380 people. The industrial sectors in which SECO products are utilized range from biomedicine to wellness, industrial automation to transportation, and it has clients that are market leaders, such as Cimbali, Esaote, Evoca, and Technogym. In 2019 SECO further expanded its reach by completing two important acquisitions. It strengthened its investments in research and development and production capabilities in China by acquiring a majority stake in Fannal Electronics CO. Ltd. In the United States it acquired 100% of InHand Electronics, based in Maryland, a leading provider of low-power rugged embedded systems and software to original equipment manufacturers of handheld, portable, Internet of Things (IoT), and wireless devices for the military/defense, industrial, medical, transportation and infotainment markets. For more information: www.seco.com

About IBD

IBD is a biomedical devices manufacturer company conceived in London and founded in Italy in 2014. Guided by a team with +10 years of experience in dialysis and medical device design, IBD has raised so far over € 1 million in funding by angel investors and grants. The devastating impact of COVID-19 in Italy has caused the IBD team to pivot their talents and expertise to develop Biorespira Pulmonary Ventilator to help patients breathe. For more information: www.ibdbiomed.com