LONDON--Otto PR has been retained by Physio-Control to provide EMEA comms support for the company's medical devices and services.

A market leader in heart defribillators, Physio-Control was acquired in 2011 by Bain Capital from Medtronic. The company, which is based in Redmond, Washingon, is attempting to broaden its positioning to encompass emergency health in general, after striking several deals in this area.

"The company’s founder pioneered defibrillation technology in the mid-1950s and that spirit of innovation and commitment to science remains today and continues to define the standard for emergency response solutions," said Otto co-founder Shaun Wootton.

Otto will focus on both corporate and product communications in the EMEA region; support integrated pan-regional campaigns aimed at emergency services, pre-hospital and in-hospital audiences, as well as raising awareness of its solutions and product in key markets.

“We anticipate 2013 being a pivotal year for the company in terms of new product introductions and continuing to tell the Physio-Control story to our existing and new stakeholders," added Physio-Control global communications director Jennifer Roth.