Development of business in the field of emergency and critical care

July 12, 2011
Asahi Kasei Corporation

Asahi Kasei has concluded an agreement with ZOLL Medical Corp., under which Asahi Kasei has received exclusive rights to sell ZOLL’s AED Plus® automated external defibrillator in Japan.

This marks the beginning of Asahi Kasei’s launch into the emergency and critical care area, and the two companies will advance further discussion on possible alliances such as for marketing, sales, and R&D in other medical-devices and health care–related businesses.

The expansion of health care–related businesses is a key strategic pillar of the Asahi Kasei Group’s new mid-term initiative “For Tomorrow 2015,” with a focus on “living in health and comfort.” Asahi Kasei launched a “Health Care for Tomorrow” project to advance the strategic creation of new businesses, not only through the combination of various group businesses ranging from housing and electronics to health care, but also through alliances with other companies.

Today’s agreement is the result of the extensive discussions between Asahi Kasei and ZOLL, a leading US company in the emergency and critical care area, which had been seeking a partner in Japan for business expansion.

Emergency and critical care plays an important role in society, providing life-saving treatment for people whose lives are in danger, serving as a bridge to hospital treatment and ultimately enabling people to recover to lead a normal life. Asahi Kasei will continue to focus on the field of emergency and critical care, helping to eliminate threats to life and to halt the development of life-threatening situations.

About the ZOLL AED Plus®

The ZOLL AED Plus® is Japan’s first AED (automated external defibrillator) which has a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) feedback function. The feedback function allows people administering CPR to see what they are doing, and it provides audio and visual feedback to help them do it well. Sale in Japan is scheduled to begin in August 2011.

The ZOLL AED Plus®

Corporate profile of ZOLL Medical Corp.

ZOLL Medical Corporation (CEO Richard Packer, Nasdaq GS: ZOLL) develops and markets medical devices and software solutions that help advance emergency care and save lives, while increasing clinical and operational efficiencies. With products for defibrillation and monitoring, circulation and CPR feedback, data management, fluid resuscitation, and therapeutic temperature management, ZOLL provides a comprehensive set of technologies that help clinicians, EMS and fire professionals, and lay rescuers treat victims needing resuscitation and critical care.

About AED and CPR

An AED is a portable medical device used to restore a normal heartbeat to people experiencing ventricular fibrillation. With its electrode pads placed on the patient’s chest, the AED automatically diagnoses the heart rhythm, and if arrhythmia is detected it applies electric shock therapy. CPR is a procedure to provide blood with oxygen to the brain of patients whose heart and lungs have stopped. Another person compresses the patient’s chest to circulate the blood, and blows air into the patent’s lungs to provide oxygen. In this procedure, it is important to maintain the appropriate rate and strength of compression.

ZOLL AED Plus® is a registered trademark of ZOLL Medical Corp.

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