Baxter International, Inc. history, profile and corporate video
Baxter International Inc. is a multinational health care company headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1931 when Drs. Ralph Falk and Don Baxter launched the Don Baxter Intravenous Products Corporation, the first commercial manufacturer of prepared IV solutions.
By the end of the decade, Don Baxter Intravenous Products Corporation changed its name to Baxter Laboratories, Inc., and opened its first manufacturing facility in Glenview, Illinois.
In 1941, the company introduced the PLASMA-VAC container, which for the first time allowed plasma to be separated from whole blood for storage.
In 1948, it launched an unbreakable plastic container for blood storage.
In 1956, the Dutch physician Willem Kolff developed the first “artificial kidney,” which was made from wood slats, orange juice cans, and a cellophane membrane. Building from his work, the company produced the first commercial dialysis system later that year.
In 1969, the first peritoneal dialysis (PD) solution was introduced. PD filters waste from the blood of people in renal failure through their peritoneal membrane rather than an external dialyzer.
In 1970, VIAFLEX, the first flexible, plastic IV container, was introduced. This medical breakthrough allowed infusions within a closed system, which reduced the chance for contamination.
In 1974, MINI-BAG plastic containers came on the market, making ready-to-use premixed drugs available to hospitals.
In 1994, HOMECHOICE, the company’s automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) system was launched.
In 1998, the company acquired Ohmeda’s Pharmaceutical Products Division, and Baxter became a leading company in inhaled anesthetics.
In 2011, Baxa Corporation was acquired to enhance the company’s pharmacy automation offerings.
In 2012, the company acquired Sigma, a manufacturer of smart infusion pumps, and Synovis Life Technologies, Inc., a leading microsurgery products company.
In 2013, it acquired GAMBRO AB, a global innovator in renal care.
In 2015, Baxter spun off its BioScience business to focus on hospital, nutrition, renal, and surgical care.
In 2017, it acquired Claris Injectables Limited, a generic injectable pharmaceutical company
In December 2019, the company announced it would acquire Seprafilm from Sanofi.
The company operates through the following business segments: Critical Care, Hospital Care, Nutritional Care, Renal Care, and Surgical Care.
Critical Care
The Critical Care segment provides therapies and technologies (IV medications, infusion systems, continuous renal replacement therapy technology, etc.) to help patients with life-threatening illnesses in the Intensive care unit (ICU).
Hospital Care
The Hospital Care segment focus on delivering IV solutions, premixed drugs, pharmacy, and infusion technologies to hospitals and clinics around the world.
Nutritional Care
The Nutritional Care segment offers products for acute and chronic patients (with life-threatening illnesses) who are unable to take adequate oral or enteral nutrition, or require supplemental nutrition. The product portfolio includes ready-to-use premix parenteral nutrition (PN) in several nutritionally balanced formulations containing amino acids (proteins), glucose (carbohydrates), IV fat emulsions (lipids), and electrolytes, as well as vitamins and trace elements.
Renal Care
The Renal Care segment focuses on home dialysis (peritoneal dialysis) and in-center dialysis (hemodialysis).
Surgical Care
The Surgical Care segment provides surgery products for a variety of specialties, including neurological, spinal, cardiovascular, bariatric, gynecological, orthopedic, and reconstructive microsurgery. These products help surgeons to stop bleeding, seal and repair tissue, perform microsurgery, and for anesthesiologists to administer the leading inhaled anesthesia.
With more than 50 000 employees, Baxter International, Inc. is considered one of the top 2000 largest public companies in the world, according to Forbes.
*Information from Forbes.com, Wikipedia.org, and www.baxter.com.
**Video published on YouTube by “BaxterInternational“.