BIOLASE partners to produce ventilators for COVID-19 patients

Dental laser manufacturer BIOLASE, Inc. expects to join the fight against the Coronavirus by manufacturing parts for ventilators, the company announced this week.

BIOLASE will partner with MEKICS Co. Ltd, an intensive care unit equipment manufacturer to supply MEICKS MTV-1000 ICU-grade portable ventilator through BIOLASE’s FDA-registered manufacturing facility in California.

"In this time of global crisis, it is vital that companies come together to support the fight against COVID-19, leveraging every tool available, and that's exactly what we intend to do," said Todd Norbe, CEO of BIOLASE. "Without hesitation, we expect to pivot quickly and leverage our FDA-registered facility for the manufacturing and delivery of the MTV-1000 ventilator and have already received over $10 million in orders. We expect to continue to focus our efforts to quickly ramp up production, with the expectation to double the number of orders over the next few weeks."

The MTV-1000 ventilator has received FDA authorization for emergency use during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a field-tested, ICU-level portable ventilator that has pressure control and an internal positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) feature, which is often required for COVID-19 patients.

BIOLASE has received authorization to manufacture and supply the MTV-1000 ventilator under the FDA Emergency Use Authorization and an exemption from the State of California to operate, market, and produce this critically needed product, the company said.

"Collaborating with the team at BIOLASE, who have years of experience manufacturing, marketing and selling medical equipment in the United States, is a great opportunity for us to provide this much-needed product to the U.S. public," said Jong Cheol Kim, CEO of MEKICS. "We are doing our very best to meet the demand of the U.S. market and believe it is an honor to help the American public in any way we can."

To place an order, send an email to Stephen Jang at sjang@biolase.com.

MEKICS is a Korean medical equipment company with 20 years of experience in manufacturing various respiratory products, including ventilators. For more information, visit biolase.com or mek-ics.com.