East/West Manufacturing Enterprises and Sisu entered into a partnership to build Air Boost’s Austin P51 emergency hospital ventilator.

The Austin P51 ventilator is a low-cost device that includes many features of current intensive care unit-grade ventilators, according to a news release. However, they can be quickly produced and delivered, as evidenced by Air Boost conceiving the idea in March and Sisu completing the design and prototype before the month ended.

The companies estimate that they can produce and deliver thousands of units with an anticipated cost of $1,500 per unit, thanks in part to East/West and other suppliers providing services and parts at reduced cost amid the coronavirus crisis.

Sisu selected East/West, a certified medical device manufacturer, to move forward with producing the ventilators. In the news release, East/West CEO Andy Salo said Sisu asked the company to build printed circuit boards for the ventilators on a Friday. The following Saturday, the company received parts and completed the first set of boards by the ensuing Monday.

“The East/West team has been incredibly responsive,” Sisu CEO Russell Aldridge said. “As we received feedback from doctors and hospitals, we had to rapidly work through new iterations. East/West was with us every step of the way to get our prototype and pilot boards turned around immediately.”

In the meantime, Air Boost is providing funding and seeking additional financing to finalize FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) to get the ventilators in use during the COVID-19 pandemic.