Mochida Pharmaceutical Launches Portable Automated ABR Test Device

From: Japan Corporate News, Japan - May 22, 2003

Tokyo (JCNN) - Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TSE: 4534), have released the "ABaerTM CubTM" - a highly portable device for the objective testing of auditory brainstem response (ABR).

One or two babies in every thousand are born with some kind of auditory impairment (hearing loss). Because impaired hearing hinders the communication necessary to acquire language skills, thus interfering with the development of language and intelligence, it is important that hearing impairment be discovered as early as possible and given appropriate treatment so that any associated impediments can be minimized.

An objective auditory test device is one that has been designed for those who are unable to express their response, or lack of it, to auditory stimuli. Such devices are used to screen the hearing of newborn babies. In the United States, 46 states have already enacted legislation for this testing, while in Japan only some 35% of newborn babies are given this kind of auditory screening.

In 2000, Mochida Pharmaceutical released the "AuDX(R),"an objective auditory test device for use exclusively in DPOAE (Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions) testing, and followed this in 2001 by releasing the "ABaerTM" - a single device that combines automated ABR testing with DPOAE testing. Both devices have been well received in the market. The "ABaerTM CubTM" scheduled for release next week is an automated ABR test device that comes with the automated ABR test software of the original "ABaerTM." Because it is battery-driven, compact and light, this automatic device is highly portable. The device is manufactured by Bio-logic Systems Corp. (US), and is imported to Japan by Gadelius KK. An annual sales target of 60 units has been set for the device.

Adding the "ABaerTM CubTM" to existing products will allow tests to be performed under a wide variety of conditions, and this is expected to facilitate more widespread adoption of devices to test the hearing of newborn babies.

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