Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Cohera Medical Inc.® Awarded Patent on its Biodegradable Sealant Technology

Cohera Medical, Inc., a leading innovator and developer of absorbable surgical adhesives and sealants, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued the Company a notice of allowance on its patent application, titled “SILANE-CONTAINING MOISTURE-CURABLE TISSUE SEALANT”.

The patent relates to a novel 100% synthetic sealant with several potential surgical applications.  The sealant covered by the patent, Sylys® Surgical Sealant, is highly elastic, and has good bonding strength to internal tissues.  In addition, the sealant is easy to prepare and apply in the operating theatre and is biocompatible for internal human use.  The patent covers the unique chemistry of the sealant allowing for variations that allow for multiple products with varying elasticity and bonding properties, thereby enabling the development of products for multiple clinical applications. 

“The unique chemistry of this synthetic sealant is a breakthrough discovery in the field of medical sealants,” said Dottie Clower, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Cohera Medical and the patent’s primary inventor.  “The development of this technology has taken many years to perfect, and this patent is the culmination of a significant research effort by the company.” 

“We are excited to add this patent to our growing intellectual property portfolio, which solidifies our leadership position in internal surgical adhesives and sealants," said Patrick Daly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cohera Medical. “This patent protects the core of our sealant technology as well as the key features of our sealant products that make them commercially and clinically viable.”

Cohera Medical is currently developing Sylys Surgical Sealant intended to be used as an adjunct to standard closure techniques for the reinforcement and protection of anastomotic junctions in colectomy procedures.  Sylys is designed to help reduce anastomotic leakage by providing additional support to the anastomosis during the first few days of healing, when the development of leaks is most likely to occur. Sylys may also have similar leak prevention characteristics in pancreatic resections, lung, and brain applications where there is a need for elimination of often catastrophic leaks of fluid or air during or after surgery. The product is currently undergoing clinical trials in the U.S. for the colectomy indication.

The market for Sylys Surgical Sealant is significant, with more than one million procedures per year worldwide representing a multi-billion dollar opportunity. Due to the unmet clinical need, Sylys would represent a breakthrough in this market that will lead to improved patient outcomes as well as reduced patient management costs for healthcare providers.