Ivera Medical Signs New Agreement with Novation for Curos Port Protectors

    SAN DIEGO, CA, December 02, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Ivera Medical Corporation, a certified minority-owned business, has announced a new agreement with Novation for Curos Port Protectors, a simple, innovative, disposable medical device that guards against healthcare-associated bloodstream infection by keeping luer-activated needleless valve access ports protected and clean. The agreement begins January 1, 2012 and extends through December, 31, 2014. Novation is the health care industry's leading supply contracting company for the members of VHA, UHC and Provista.

The agreement includes both Ivera's individual Curos Port Protectors and Curos Strips, the convenient multi-cap dispenser. With two options nurses can conveniently comply with disinfection protocols by simply peeling the foil seal off the distinctive green cap and twisting Curos over the top of any luer-activated IV access port or needleless valve. Inside Curos a 70% IPA (isopropyl alcohol) saturated sponge-like foam automatically provides effective, consistent and reliable passive disinfection of the port.

Bob Rogers, Ivera Medical's CEO stated, "Curos is a powerful, yet simple, tool designed to help hospital's reduce bloodstream infection rates. At its core, Curos is basically alcohol in a cap - but each little green cap is engineered to deliver optimal results, from its efficiently minimal packaging, to its luer-lock design which complies with the 2011 INS Standards of Practice, to its vibrant color which helps hospitals monitor compliance at a glance thereby easily meeting The Joint Commission's requirements. Nurses love Curos because it is simple to use and reduces time required for disinfection. Nurse managers love Curos because it eliminates user technique variability and facilitates disinfection practice auditing - green means clean. It's that simple."

A recent university hospital study conducted found Curos' passive disinfection reduced central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and contaminated blood cultures. The study conducted in a 12-bed bone marrow transplant unit and 20-bed oncology unit, demonstrated to the researchers an 86.2 percent reduction in CLABSI and a 92 percent fall in contaminated blood cultures equating to an estimated annualized cost avoidance of $500,000. Researchers concluded that the efficacy of Curos, in part, is ascribed to the easily monitored disinfection compliance (greater than 85 percent on average.)

"Contracting with Novation is an important step in our efforts to help hospitals and patients greatly reduce the epidemic of bloodstream infections which currently take a devastating toll on healthcare finances and human lives," said Rogers.

About Ivera Medical
Ivera Medical Corporation is focused on the design, development, manufacture, marketing and sale of products that help healthcare providers reduce facility-acquired patient infections. Curos, manufactured in Carlsbad, CA, is the first disinfecting cap to be marketed in the U.S. and has received FDA's 510(k) market clearance. For more information about Curos and Ivera Medical, visit the website at www.iveramed.com.

About Novation
Founded in 1998, Novation is the leading health care supply contracting company for more than 25,000 members of VHA Inc. and UHC, two national health care alliances, and 5,500 members of Provista, LLC, representing more than 30,000 sites. Novation provides alliance members sourcing and information and data services. Based in Irving, Texas, Novation develops and manages competitive contracts with more than 600 suppliers. VHA, UHC and Provista members used Novation contracts to purchase approximately $40 billion in 2010.

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