Cardinal Health Launches Next Generation Medical Device to Improve Neonatal Feeding

Cardinal Health announced today the launch of its next generation NTrainer™ System 2.0, a medical device designed to help premature and newborn infants develop the oral coordination skills important for the transition to independent feeding faster, thus helping to reduce their neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) length of stay. Through real-time assessment technology, the NTrainer™ System provides clinicians with the objective data they need to track the progress of an infant in developing pre-feeding skills, while providing parents confidence in their infants' progress and potential to thrive after discharge.

The NTrainer™ System improves crucial key pre-feeding skills in newborns and preterm infants known as non-nutritive suck (NNS). NNS is critical for the safe transition from feeding tubes to breast or bottle — a developmental milestone for preterm infants and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as criteria for discharge from the NICU. By utilizing Cardinal Health's patented technology for improving NNS proficiency, the NTrainer™ has been clinically proven to improve feeding outcomes while also reducing length of NICU stay.

"The NTrainer™ System demonstrates Cardinal Health's investment in innovation to help improve patient outcomes and increase caregiver confidence while providing objective data important for delivering consistent patient care," said Steve Mason, CEO of Cardinal Health's Medical Segment. "The NTrainer™ System will help some of our most vulnerable patients at the beginning of life through the first and only biofeedback device to improve NNS patterns in newborns and infants born prematurely."

The next generation NTrainer™ System 2.0, in comparison to the first generation NTrainer™, is smaller, more intuitive and easier to integrate into feeding protocols, while still providing consistent, repeatable assessment and therapy. It is designed to support proper suck-swallow-breathe coordination in premature infants to reduce time to achieve full oral feeding.

Cardinal Health has one of the largest healthcare medical supply chains in the U.S., with a nutritional delivery portfolio that includes the globally recognized Kangaroo™ brand, including the Kangaroo™ enteral feeding pumps and sets portfolio, the Kangaroo™ Feeding Tube with IRIS Technology, and other adult, pediatric and neonatal enteral feeding products.

"We have a real commitment to and pride in our enteral access and nutritional delivery device portfolio. Our Kangaroo™ brand of products is an industry leader and mainstay, and our investment in the NTrainer™ System rounds out our offerings in this space," said Kelley Moffett, Senior Vice President, Global Products, Medical Segment, Cardinal Health.

www.cardinalhealth.com