Professor Leslie A. Geddes, Purdue's Showalter Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Bioengineering, and his research team have developed a non-invasive device that uses optical techniques to measure systolic, mean, and diastolic blood pressure; heart and respiratory rate; and oxygen saturation in prematurely born and other low birthweight babies. A license agreement between the Purdue's Office of Technology Commercialization and Theron Technologies LLC was announced today, granting Theron Technologies exclusive commercial rights to this technology.

According to Geddes, "The neonatologist, the premature infant physician and the small-infant pediatrician do not currently have one single instrument to measure vital signs in their patients. And they don't have a non-invasive blood pressure monitor that's accurate enough." This new technology will provide doctors with a more advanced way to take the vital signs of premature infants.

In the United States each year, approximately 308,000 babies born are considered low birthweight (below 5 lbs., 8 oz.). These babies make up 7 percent of births. About 45,000 American babies each year are considered to be very low birthweight (below 3.3 lbs.). These infants make up about 1 percent of births. Low birthweight and very low birthweight babies account for two-thirds of newborn deaths.

David Goodrich, president of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and co-founder of the Central Indiana Life Sciences Initiative, said, "This partnership between Purdue and Theron Technologies is a great example of how collaborations between industry and academia create innovation, economic opportunities and better health care for Hoosiers."