ICU Medical Receives Premier Healthcare Alliance Contracts for its Complete Line of Needlefree IV Connectors, Sets and Accessories

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Aug. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ICU Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: ICUI) today announced that it has received two separate six-year group purchasing contracts from the Premier healthcare alliance covering the company's complete line of clinically-proven needlefree IV connectors, sets and accessories. Effective in 2014, this is the first time that group purchasing contracts have separated needlefree IV connectors from IV pump and solution group purchasing contracts, allowing Premier member hospitals greater freedom in making cost-effective clinical decisions based on what is best for patient care and safety.

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"Premier has taken a bold step in breaking out needlefree IV connectors into a separate category, once again showing that their commitment to transforming healthcare is ultimately focused on facilitating excellence in patient care," explained Richard Costello, ICU Medical, Inc. Senior Vice President of Sales. "Premier member hospitals can now more easily make decisions about which needlefree technology to implement in their facilities based on clinical performance without worrying about how those decisions will impact their supply chain spend."

The new contract also marks the first time that ICU Medical's complete line of needlefree IV connectors—which includes the Neutron^® catheter patency device, the MicroClave^® and MicroClave Clear neutral displacement needlefree connectors, and the NanoClave^® low profile neutral displacement connector—has been on a single Premier contract. ICU's needlefree connectors are unique in that they incorporate shared design features that provide an effective microbial barrier against bacteria transfer and enable a consistent clinical protocol to be used throughout the hospital, yet each provides a unique set of clinical benefits.

The Neutron catheter patency device is the first FDA 510(k)-cleared technology shown to significantly reduce all types of reflux into a catheter and be cleared for use on all populations, including pediatric and immunocompromised patients. It is designed to be used on central lines and has been shown to reduce catheter occlusions by as much as 50% in regular clinical use. The NanoClave is specifically designed to keep neonatal and pediatric patients safe by minimizing flush volumes while providing a safe and effective microbial barrier, while the MicroClave line of connectors is the workhorse of the line, designed to be the "go-to" connector in all other clinical applications.

"Each connector in our line features ICU Medical's pioneering reversed split-septum, straight internal fluid path technology to significantly reduce the ingress and colonization of bacteria while providing an effective barrier against bacteria transfer and contamination," explained Mark Jorgensen, ICU Medical General Manager of National Accounts. "Premier's decision to provide a separate contract for needlefree connectors acknowledges that this technology can make a real clinical difference and empowers their members to make the right decision based on their own patient safety and outcome improvement initiatives."

While the needlefree connector contract also includes IV extension sets that incorporate needlefree connectors, the complete line of ICU Medical infusion sets and accessories is available through a second six-year Premier contract.

Contact: Tom McCall 
Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer
949-366-4368
tmccall@icumed.com

About ICU Medical, Inc.: ICU Medical, Inc. develops, manufactures and sells innovative medical devices used in vascular therapy, oncology and critical care applications. ICU Medical's products improve patient outcomes by helping prevent bloodstream infections and protecting healthcare workers from exposure to infectious diseases or hazardous drugs. The company's complete product line includes custom IV systems, closed delivery systems for hazardous drugs, needlefree IV connectors, catheters and cardiac monitoring systems. ICU Medical is headquartered in San Clemente, California. More information about ICU Medical, Inc. can be found at www.icumed.com.

SOURCE ICU Medical, Inc.