JW JoongWai Acquires Medical Device, Launches Korea's First 'Hybrid Incubator'

JW Bioscience's First New Medical Device Product After Acquisition

JW Pharmaceutical announced on the 28th that it has launched the infant incubator brand 'HI-MAMMI' and released three new products, including a hybrid device with an open warming function.

JW Pharmaceutical Hybrid Incubator 'JW-Hi7000'.
[Photo by JW Pharmaceutical]

An infant incubator is a medical device that provides an environment similar to that inside a mother's body to ensure normal development of premature infants below a certain weight or newborns showing abnormal symptoms. In Korea, JW Bioscience, a subsidiary of JW Pharmaceutical (formerly Jungwoo Machinery), successfully localized the product for the first time in 1984.

This is the first time a domestic healthcare company has independently developed and introduced a hybrid infant incubator. The hybrid incubator is a medical device that maintains the optimal temperature for newborns by operating the heating device even when the upper panel is open. The HI-MAMMI Hybrid (JW-Hi7000) and Premium (JW-i7000) incubators feature mattress reclining functions found in products from three global makers (GE Healthcare in the U.S., Atom Medical in Japan, and Dr?ger in Germany), with the added ability to check the adjustable angle.

Additionally, a special speaker built into the incubator can transmit the mother's heartbeat or voice inside the chamber via smartphones, helping to stabilize the newborn psychologically. The 'Family Screen' allows caregivers to monitor the baby's treatment status at a glance and display family photos or supportive messages on the screen.

All products, including the entry-level JW-i5000 incubator, have an X-ray detector size of 14 inches wide by 17 inches tall, enabling full-body imaging of newborns. The hybrid and premium models feature a dedicated X-ray door that allows imaging without disturbing the infant.

The HI-MAMMI incubators can set humidity up to 99% and maintain temperature uniformly within 0.4°C to assist in managing the newborn's body temperature. The operating noise of the incubator is 40 dB, which is 7 dB lower than older models, and enhanced soundproofing minimizes noise stress for the newborn.

JW Pharmaceutical plans to actively target the infant incubator market, which is mostly dominated by overseas brands, with the launch of HI-MAMMI. In the future, they aim to develop an AI smart care system based on clinical data and deep learning technology to establish a customized intensive care environment for newborns.

Shin Young-seop, CEO of JW Pharmaceutical, said, "HI-MAMMI is a product developed by consolidating the technology JW has accumulated over more than 40 years in essential medical devices, including incubators. We will expand our domestic and international market share based on the product competitiveness that combines world-class performance and reliability."

On January 2nd, JW Pharmaceutical acquired the medical device business division of JW Bioscience, a diagnostic reagent specialist within the group. JW Bioscience's medical device division has independently developed and produced essential medical devices such as incubators, digital X-rays, LED shadowless lamps, and operating tables.