Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said it expanded its strategic partnership with Samsung Electronics (LON:BC94) into the neuromodulation arena, looking to treat chronic pain, movement disorders, incontinence and other conditions.
The announcement was made today at the North American Neuromodulation Soceity’s scientific session in Las Vegas.
The combination will position Samsung to develop tools on Google‘s (NSDQ:GOOG) Android tablet and smartphone platform that can communicate with Medtronic’s neuromodulation systems.
“Medtronic is committed to solving healthcare challenges, and through this alliance we intend to create efficiencies by developing digital solutions that connect patients and healthcare providers in real time. Medtronic has a track record of developing meaningful patient innovations, and this collaboration is the first step to providing more personalized patient care and arming patients and physicians with the best consumer-relevant technologies,” Medtronic neuromod prez Tom Tefft said in prepared remarks.
The pairing will allow Medtronic to deliver real-time health neuromodulation data to physicians and patients for improved management of care.
“Samsung is applying its deep understanding of how people use technology to bring new innovations to healthcare. These future solutions will help better manage the health of patients by providing them with advanced, easy-to-use tools that securely deliver real-time data to their physicians,” Samsung Electronics America chief medical officer Dave Rhew said in a prepared statement.
Fridley, Minn.-based Medtronic said it is developing a ‘range of future solutions’ in the neuromod sector, and the partnership aims to improve the transmission and access to data from such devices to allow for more informed, data-driven treatment decisions.
In June, Medtronic announced a similar partnership with Samsung to develop technology for diabetes management, with Samsung managing the Android-side development.
Samsung will help Medtronic develop an app for Android devices that will be compatible with its MiniMed Connect as the first project of a new partnership with the Korean electronics maker.
The deal is slated to focus on developing a range of products for people with diabetes, from remote viewing of data to fully integrated mobile and wearable devices that operate with diabetes management systems, Medtronic said.
