Hogan Lovells advises Ford in partnering with GE Healthcare to produce ventilators for coronavirus patients in a pro bono effort
Washington, D.C., 2 April 2020 – International law firm Hogan Lovells is representing Ford Motor Company in its collaboration with GE Healthcare to produce 50,000 ventilators in 100 days, with the ability to produce 30,000 a month thereafter as needed, to help coronavirus patients. The firm is advising on the collaboration, intellectual property, and FDA and other regulatory aspects of the partnership.
“We are very grateful for the contributions made by the Hogan Lovells team in helping us to put this important collaboration together,” said Bradley Gayton, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, Ford Motor Company. “With the support of Hogan Lovells, Ford is working as quickly as possible to save lives and help our country get through the COVID-19 health crisis.”
The pro bono team was led by Global Head of M&A and Corporate partner Bill Curtin and IP and Technology Transactions partner Audrey Haroz Reed, with assistance from IP partners Cullen Taylor and Zenas Choi; Life Sciences Transactions partner Adam Bellack; Global Regulatory partners Kelliann Payne, Michael Heyl, Michael Vernick, Latane Montague, and Joy Sturm, and Global Regulatory senior associates Katherine Morga, Annie Vanselow, Katie Lannon, and Blake Wilson.
The collaboration will enable Ford to manufacture and quickly scale production of a ventilator that GE Healthcare has licensed from Airon Corp., a privately held company specializing in high-tech pneumatic life support products. The goal of the companies is to produce the ventilators within 100 days and up to 30,000 a month thereafter as needed. The manufacturing will take place in Michigan.
The GE/Airon Model A-E ventilator uses a design that operates on air pressure without the need for electricity, addressing the needs of most COVID-19 patients. GE Healthcare and Ford consulted with medical experts in determining the Airon-licensed Model A-E ventilator is well suited for COVID-19 patient care. The ventilator is designed for quick setup, making it easy for healthcare workers to use – and can be deployed in an emergency room setting, during special procedures or in an intensive care unit, wherever the patient may be located.
The Airon-licensed Model A-E ventilator is the second Ford-GE Healthcare ventilator collaboration. Last week, Ford and GE Healthcare announced a separate effort to produce a simplified ventilator design from GE Healthcare to help address the surging demand for ventilators in the U.S. Hogan Lovells is also advising on this collaboration.
More details about the companies’ combined efforts can be found in their press release here.