3M announced today it has acquired certain assets of Zargis Medical Corp., maker of the only FDA-approved diagnostic software to classify suspected systolic and diastolic heart murmurs. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
This acquisition builds on the existing global marketing and distribution alliance between 3M and Zargis Medical. The combination of electronic stethoscopes and telemedicine/diagnostic software enables new and innovative healthcare practices for auscultation, which refers to listening to internal sounds of the body with a stethoscope.
Included in the transaction are the TELESTETH online auscultation software, STETHASSIST software, and heart sound analysis software (Zargis Cardioscan) products developed by Zargis Medical. TeleSteth, a tele-auscultation software product, provides a cloud server-based system allowing live, virtual auscultation in a simple, flexible manner using internet connectivity. TeleSteth also can be used in conjunction with StethAssist, which adds recording capability and visualization using a phonocardiogram. These additions to 3M’s LITTMANN Scope to Scope product line offer tremendous flexibility to healthcare providers.
“Together, Zargis Medical’s diagnostic software used in combination with the 3M Littmann Stethoscope Model 3200, helps improve patient outcomes and reduce overall health care costs,” said Ingrid Blair, vice president, Patient Assessment, 3M Infection Prevention Division.
3M is a trusted leader in auscultation technology. The Littmann Model 3200 features ambient noise reduction technology, which eliminates approximately 85 percent of distracting background noises without filtering out critical body sounds, sound amplification up to 24 times louder than a Littmann cardiology grade stethoscope, frictional noise reduction technology that reduces handling sounds from the chestpiece, and extended sound range frequency.
About Zargis Medical Corp.
Zargis is a global medical device company focused on improving health outcomes and cost-effectiveness through auscultation software and products. Zargis is majority-owned by Speedus Corp., and both 3M Company and Siemens Corporate Research, a division of Siemens AG (NYSE: SI), hold equity positions. For additional information visit the following Web sites: www.zargis.com and www.speedus.com.
About 3M Health Care
3M Health Care, one of 3M’s six major business segments, provides world-class innovative products and services to help healthcare professionals improve the practice, delivery and outcome of patient care in medical, oral care, drug delivery, food safety and health information markets. Learn more at www.3M.com/healthcare or www.mmm.com/infectionprevention or www.3M.com/littmann.
TELESTETH, STETHASSIST and LITTMANN are trademarks of 3M.
3MMedia Contact:Donna Runyon, 651-736-7646orInvestor Contacts:Matt Ginter, 651-733-8206orBruce Jermeland, 651-733-1807
