News

Kimberly-Clark Health Care Receives FDA Clearance for KIMGUARD ONESTEP STERILIZATION WRAP usage with STERIS' AMSCO V-PRO Sterilization Systems

(ROSWELL, Ga. and MENTOR, Ohio – March 3, 2010) – Kimberly-Clark Health Care announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market the use of its KIMGUARD ONE-STEP (KC 100-600) Sterilization Wrap in conjunction with the Amsco® V-PRO™ 1 and Amsco V-PRO 1 Plus Low Temperature Sterilization Systems from STERIS Corporation.

“Sterilization is a key component in preventing cross-contamination, which is a major cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAI),” said Jay Hexamer, general manager of North America medical supplies, Kimberly-Clark Health Care. “We are pleased to join forces with one of the top sterilization system manufacturers in the industry to help improve the quality of instrument sterilization and the reduction of infectious microorganisms.”

The KIMGUARD ONE-STEP (KC 100-600) Sterilization Wrap is made of strong Spunbond Meltblown Spunbond (SMS) nonwoven fabric, which features two layers of wrap that are ultrasonically seamed along two sides. By providing the protection of double-wrapping in a single step, the time to open or wrap sequential wrapping is cut in half, saving both time and money. Each grade of wrap features Kimberly-Clark Health Care’s exclusive DAISY bond pattern, providing easy identification from one wrap to another.

 “We value collaborations that help our customers more easily and efficiently meet their sterility assurance protocols,” adds Sudhir Pahwa, vice president and general manager of STERIS’s Infection Prevention Technologies division. “Our collaboration with Kimberly-Clark Health Care assures that sterile processing professionals have a compatible high-quality, timesaving wrap product they can safely and confidently use with our V-PRO systems.”

The V-PRO 1 and V-PRO 1 Plus Low Temperature Sterilization Systems can quickly process high volumes of heat and moisture-sensitive devices using vaporized hydrogen peroxide, an environmentally friendly sterilant. In addition to the single 55-minute automated cycle of the V-PRO 1 system, the new V-PRO 1 Plus sterilizer includes a second 28-minute cycle specifically for sterilizing non-lumened devices. This allows operators to enhance productivity by choosing the cycle that best matches the devices being sterilized. Both systems have a one-touch control that requires minimal training, and both are equipped with remote monitoring capabilities for increased uptime.

Kimberly-Clark in the Healthcare Environment

Around the world, medical professionals turn to Kimberly-Clark for a wide portfolio of solutions that improve the health, hygiene and well-being of their patients and staff. As part of their healing mission, caregivers rely on Kimberly-Clark to deliver clinical solutions and educational resources that they can depend on to prevent, diagnose and manage a wide variety of healthcare-associated infections. As a global enterprise with more than $1 billion in annual sales, Kimberly-Clark Health Care holds the No. 1 and No. 2 market share positions in several categories including infection control solutions, surgical solutions, pain management and digestive health.And throughout the care continuum, patients and staff alike trust Kimberly-Clark medical supplies and devices, KLEENEX tissues, Kimberly-Clark professional skin care products and SCOTT towels for day-to-day needs. For more information, please visit http://www.kchealthcare.com.

About STERIS

STERIS Corporation is a leading provider of infection prevention and surgical products and services, focused primarily on critical healthcare, pharmaceutical and research markets. The Company's more than 5,000 dedicated employees around the world work together to supply a broad array of solutions by offering a combination of equipment, consumables and services that enhance Customer productivity and quality, and help make the world a safer place. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol STE. For more information, please visit www.STERIS.com.