Z-Medica Signs HealthTrust Agreement

WALLINGFORD, Conn., Jan. 6, 2014 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Z-Medica, a leading developer and marketer of hemostatic agents, announced it has signed an agreement with HealthTrust, a group purchasing and total cost management solutions company,  to provide its healthcare member facilities access to QuikClot® products under a vascular closure patch category, effective January 1, 2014.

"Controlling bleeding in a hospital setting is essential for minimizing the length of procedures, reducing the risk of complications, reducing the cost to patients and medical facilities and improving overall patient outcomes," said Jack McCarthy, vice president of U.S. healthcare sales at Z-Medica. "We are very pleased to be working with the experienced HealthTrust team in this important effort to bring QuikClot products to more healthcare providers and patients who can benefit from them." 

QuikClot products are impregnated with a mineral called kaolin that has been clinically shown to accelerate the body's natural coagulation cascade, helping healthcare professionals, first responders, law enforcement officers, consumers and adventure and outdoor sports enthusiasts rapidly control bleeding. Kaolin is a naturally-occurring, inorganic mineral that does not contain any botanicals, biological material or shellfish products and does not cause any exothermic reaction or vascular complications. QuikClot products are credited with helping thousands of people survive traumatic blood loss every year.

Z-Medica Donates $1.5 Million in QuikClot

WALLINGFORD, Conn., Dec 08, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company which develops and distributes innovative hemostatic agents, announced that it has donated $1.5 million in QuikClot(R) the company's life-saving hemostatic agents, to AmeriCares, a nonprofit global health and disaster relief organization. The QuikClot products will be used by AmeriCares for disaster relief efforts as well as its ongoing health programs around the globe, helping to prevent loss of life and limb. Z-Medica had previously donated $150,000 of its QuikClot products to AmeriCares for use in Haiti following the earthquake there in 2010.

"We had great success providing QuikClot for use in Haiti following the earthquake and for other relief efforts and we are grateful that Z-Medica has responded to our request for an additional donation of this life-saving tool," said Dr. Frank J. Bia, AmeriCares Medical Director. "QuikClot is now a standard part of our response efforts and we make sure it is part of our aid deliveries for disasters and our ongoing partnerships."

QuikClot is an ideal product for use in the field, including disaster relief areas or by first responders, due to its ease-of-use and ability to achieve hemostasis in as little as three minutes. The United States Department of Defense currently uses QuickClot Combat Gauze(TM) as the official first-line hemostatic treatment for traumatic bleeding in all branches of the United States military. QuikClot is also regularly used by first-responders and medical professionals in the field and in hospital clinical environments such as the cardiac catheterization laboratory, interventional radiology, the emergency room and virtually anywhere else where bleeding needs to be controlled.

"AmeriCares is an extremely professional and efficient organization and we have the highest confidence that they will save many lives with this donation," said Brian Herrman, Chief Executive Officer, Z-Medica. "Every US soldier, marine, and airman carries QuikClot at all times, which has saved many lives. Our mission at Z-Medica, therefore, is to ensure that all medical professionals and first responders everywhere have access to QuikClot, in both disaster areas, as well as in day-to-day situations such as hospital trauma units, emergency rooms and the cardiac catheterization labs."

Police Department of Fairfield Township, NJ Relies on QuikClot® Hemostatic Dressing to Save the Lives of an Officer and Civilian

WALLINGFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A Fairfield NJ township police officer, mandated to carry QuikClot® Combat Gauze® at all times after it saved the life of a township police officer, used the life-saving gauze to stop the severe arterial bleeding of an 82 year-old dialysis patient, based on a recent article in The Progress Newspaper. It was reported that the elderly man’s source of profuse bleeding was through an access port in his arm, typically used during a dialysis procedure. Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents, is the maker of QuikClot, the life-saving technology which was used to save the man’s life.
“We are always grateful to learn that QuikClot continues to save lives in various settings and situations”
The article also noted that the Fairfield NJ Police Department credited the use of QuikClot Combat Gauze with saving the life of a township police officer who was shot in the line of duty. According to Chief Charles Voelker, following that event all Fairfield officers were mandated to carry QuikClot Combat Gauze. QuikClot is used by first responders around the country to stop traumatic bleeding and stabilize patients in a wide variety of non-sterile, emergency situations, because of its high effectiveness and ease of use.
“We are always grateful to learn that QuikClot continues to save lives in various settings and situations,” said Brian Herrman, Chief Executive Officer of Z-Medica. “This officer should be commended since his quick decision to apply QuikClot reflects great situational awareness. The Fairfield Township Police Department perfectly illustrates the many ways in which QuikClot is currently utilized – by first responders at the scene of an incident, by police officers who are injured in the line of duty, and all the way through to health care providers in a medical or post-treatment setting.”
“We realized the value in having every officer carry QuikClot first-hand after one of our neighboring police officers was able to successfully control the bleeding of one of our officers following a shooting,” said Chief Charles Voelker, Fairfield Township Police Department. “We encourage other law enforcement agencies to consider providing their officers with this life-saving technology. It’s amazing what a potential difference this small piece of gauze can make in our community, and we are already seeing examples of this, such as with the recent case involving an 82-year old dialysis patient.”

Stöpler to Distribute Z-Medica QuikClot Products for the First Time to Hospitals in The Netherlands

WALLINGFORD, Conn.--(Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network)-- Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents, today announced that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Stöpler, a supplier of medical instruments, equipment and disposables to hospitals in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Stöpler will have the exclusive rights to sell and distribute Z-Medica’s full line of QuikClot® hemostatic agents to hospitals and healthcare professionals in The Netherlands.
QuikClot products received CE Mark from the European Union in November 2009 and the company has been negotiating distribution agreements with a series of best-of-breed medical device distributors such as Stöpler in European markets since then.
“Bleeding is a problem across the globe, and Z-Medica is aiming to reach beyond the U.S. borders with revolutionary gauze products that are proven effective in some of the most traumatic of circumstances,” said Brian Herrman, Chief Executive Officer, Z-Medica. “We are proud to work with partners like Stöpler, who see the need to have QuikClot in every hospital and carried by all healthcare professionals.”
QuikClot is a surgical gauze impregnated with kaolin, an inert mineral with no known contraindications, and can achieve hemostasis in severe bleeding situations in as little as three minutes. QuikClot is widely used throughout several clinical specialties, including cardiology, interventional radiology, critical care, dermatology, emergency medicine, orthopedics and OB/Gyn, and after months of testing against 12 other hemostatic products in the marketplace, the military version of the kaolin gauze (“Combat Gauze”) was chosen as the exclusive product for use by all US Military Forces in 2008. It continues to be the exclusive product used by all USA military forces for first line treatment of bleeding hemorrhage.
“Our focus is on providing healthcare professionals throughout The Netherlands access to premium brands such as QuikClot, and we are thrilled with the opportunity to provide our partners with this line of life saving devices,” said Eric Knuiman, General Manager of Stöpler. “We foresee great demand for this product as it is not only safe and effective, but also diverse in its applications.”

Romed to Distribute Z-Medica QuikClot Products for the First Time to Hospitals in Belgium

WALLINGFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents, today announced that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Romed, a medical device distribution company focused on providing products and services to cardiac surgery, general surgery and anesthesia professionals. Romed will have the exclusive rights to sell and distribute Z-Medica’s full line of QuikClot® hemostatic agents to hospitals and healthcare professionals throughout Belgium.
QuikClot products received CE Mark from the European Union in November 2009 and the company has been negotiating distribution agreements with a series of best-of-breed medical device distributors such as Romed in European markets since then.
“We are pleased to enter the Belgium market through our partner Romed, one of the most well -respected medical device distributors in the country,” said Brian Herrman, Chief Executive Officer, Z-Medica. “Through the success of this agreement we take another step closer to our goal of global distribution of QuikClot’s growing line of life-saving hemostatic gauze products.”
QuikClot is a surgical gauze impregnated with kaolin, an inert mineral with no known contraindications, and can achieve hemostasis in severe bleeding situations in as little as three minutes. QuikClot is widely used throughout several clinical specialties, including cardiology, interventional radiology, critical care, dermatology, emergency medicine, orthopedics and OB/Gyn, and after months of testing against 12 other hemostatic products in the marketplace, the military version of the kaolin gauze (“Combat Gauze”) was chosen as the exclusive product for use by all US Military Forces in 2008. It continues to be the exclusive product used by all USA military forces for first line treatment of bleeding hemorrhage.
“We are pleased to be able to offer healthcare professionals and emergency personal throughout Belgium QuikClot’s line of innovative life-saving hemostatic dressings,” said Patrick Rosa, CEO of Romed. “We are impressed with what we have seen from QuikClot and we anticipate strong demand throughout our network of medical care providers.”
The QuikClot line of products to be distributed by Romed includes:
QuikClot® Combat Gauze™ is a soft, white, sterile, nonwoven 3” by 12 feet rolled or z-folded gauze impregnated with kaolin. Each roll of QuikClot Combat Gauze is individually wrapped in an easy rip, military grade foil pouch. Indicated for temporary external control of traumatic bleeding, QuikClot Combat Gauze is flexible and pliable and contours to all wounds. Recommended as the number one hemostatic agent by the COTCCC (Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care Committee), QuikClot Combat Gauze is the only product carried by all branches of the US Military to control life-threatening hemorrhage.
QuikClot® Emergency Dressing™ is an easy-to-use dressing which can achieve hemostasis in as little as three minutes, helping to prevent loss of life and limb. Because QuikClot requires very little training to administer, it can be effectively used by medical personnel, civilian first-responders and medical professionals in the field and in clinical environments. This dressing comes in various sizes, including a 4-ply 4” by 4” (10cm x 10cm) and a 6-ply 2”x2” (5cm x 5cm) format.
QuikClot® Interventional™ Hemostatic Bandage consists of a soft, white, double sterile, hydrophilic pad impregnated with kaolin. It is double-wrapped in a blister package and foil pouch for aseptic technique. QuikClot Interventional Hemostatic Bandage is applied topically as an adjunct to manual compression and is indicated for the local management and control of external bleeding from vascular access sites and percutantous catheters or tubes utilizing sheaths up to 12 Fr.
QuikClot® Pad™ consists of a soft, white, double sterile, three-ply 12”x12” (30cm x 30cm) pad impregnated with kaolin. It is double-wrapped in a peelable foil package for aseptic technique. QuikClot Trauma Pad is indicated for temporary external use to control traumatic bleeding and is also x-ray detectable to ensure proper removal.

Z-Medica Signs Distribution Agreement With Biomedica

Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents, today announced that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Biomedica, a leading Central European medical device distributor, for the hospital and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) markets in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. Biomedica has strong relationships in the fields of cardiology, cardiac surgery, orthopedics and trauma and general surgery, among other specialties.
QuikClot® products received CE Mark from the European Union in November 2009 and the company has been negotiating distribution agreements with a series of best-of-breed medical device distributors such as Biomedica in European markets since then.
“We are very pleased that we have signed this distribution agreement with Biomedica because of their strong relationships, local sales presence and customer support in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland,” said Brian Herrman, Chief Executive Officer, Z-Medica. “Their focus on cardiology, orthopedics and trauma will be key to getting QuikClot into the hands of surgical practitioners and first responders for the first time in this region, so that they and their patients can benefit from QuikClot’s ability to achieve hemostasis safely and rapidly.”
QuikClot is a surgical gauze impregnated with kaolin, an inert mineral with no known contraindications, and can achieve hemostasis in severe bleeding situations in as little as three minutes. QuikClot is widely used throughout several clinical specialties, including cardiology, interventional radiology, critical care, dermatology, emergency medicine, orthopedics and OB/Gyn, and after months of testing against 12 other hemostatic products in the marketplace, the military version of the kaolin gauze (“Combat Gauze”) was chosen as the exclusive product for use by all US Military Forces in 2008. It continues to be the exclusive product used by all USA military forces for first line treatment of bleeding hemorrhage.
“We are very pleased to add QuikClot to our product portfolio,” said Dr. Stefan Marenzi, Managing Director of Biomedica. “We believe that the product will be well-received by our clients across several different specialties.”

Z-Medica launches new trauma kit

WALLINGFORD, Conn., Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A new hemostatic trauma kit to quickly stop bleeding is now available to law enforcement agencies around the United States.
Z-Medica, which has headquarters in Connecticut, this week launched its QuikClot Belt Trauma Kit designed for law enforcement agencies and said it can achieve hemostasis in severe bleeding situations in as little as three minutes.
"We understand that law enforcement officers often face situations that involve traumatic bleeding where emergency medical care is not available, so we designed a practical tool to help them almost immediately stop uncontrolled bleeding," said Z-Medica Chief Executive Officer Brian Herrman. "The new QuikClot Belt Trauma Kit includes the QuikClot product that every U.S. soldier carries, and which many law enforcement officers are already carrying, combined with all of the tools needed to stop traumatic bleeding in a lightweight pack."
The 5.75-inch-by-4-inch kit includes either QuikClot First Response or QuikClot Combat Gauze, plus SWAT-Tourniquet, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation shield and gloves. The kit is designed to be worn on an officer's duty belt along with other gear, taking up little space.

QuikClot goes Japanese

WALLINGFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents, today announced that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Nihon-Kohden, Japan's leading manufacturer, developer and distributor of medical electronic equipment . The agreement allows Nihon-Kohden the exclusive right to distribute Z-Medica’s QuikClot line of hemostatic agents to hospital, military and law enforcement markets throughout Japan. The companies have been working together since early 2009 to obtain regulatory approval. Such approval for the sale of Z-Medica’s full line of QuikClot hemostatic gauze products was approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in March 2010.
“We are very pleased that we have signed this distribution agreement with Nihon-Kohden because of their longstanding positive reputation and vast reach throughout the Japanese market,” said Brian Herrman, Chief Executive Officer, Z-Medica. “We believe that clinical practitioners outside of the US will find QuikClot to be a useful tool in achieving hemostasis in a fast, safe and convenient manner, and we intend to continue expanding our international distribution through best-of-breed partners such as Nihon-Kohden.”
QuikClot is a surgical gauze impregnated with kaolin, an inert material with no known contraindications, and can achieve hemostasis in severe bleeding situations in as little as three minutes. QuikClot is widely used throughout several clinical specialties, including cardiology, interventional radiology, critical care, dermatology, emergency medicine, orthopedics and OB/Gyn, and after months of testing against 12 other hemostatic products in the marketplace, the military version of the kaolin gauze (“Combat Gauze”) was chosen as the exclusive product for use by all US Military Forces in 2008. It continues to be the exclusive product used by all USA military forces for first line treatment of bleeding hemorrhage.
“We are very pleased to have this opportunity to market in Japan QuikClot which helps many patients who suffer from bleeding,” said Hiroshi Aida, General Manager of Import Business Operation, Nihon Kohden. “QuikClot also helps medical professionals with much shorter time for achieving hemostasis. It is a nice addition for our product portfolio.”
Z-Medica and Nihon-Kohden have been working together since early 2009 in order to gain the recently granted regulatory approval. The QuikClot line of products to be distributed by Nihon-Kohden in Japan include:
QuikClot Combat Gauze is a soft, white, sterile, nonwoven 3” by 12 feet rolled or z-folded gauze impregnated with kaolin. Each roll of QuikClot Combat Gauze is individually wrapped in an easy rip, military grade foil pouch. Indicated for temporary external control of traumatic bleeding, QuikClot Combat Gauze is flexible and pliable and contours to all wounds. Recommended as the number one hemostatic agent by the COTCCC (Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care Committee), QuikClot Combat Gauze is the only product carried by all branches of the US Military to control life-threatening hemorrhage.
QuikClot Emergency Dressing is an easy-to-use dressing which can achieve hemostasis in as little as three minutes, helping to prevent loss of life and limb. Because QuikClot requires very little training to administer, it can be effectively used by medical personnel, civilian first-responders and medical professionals in the field and in clinical environments. This dressing comes in various sizes, including a 4-ply 4” by 4” (10cm x 10cm) and a 6-ply 2”x2” (5cm x 5cm) format.
QuikClot Interventional Hemostatic Bandage consists of a soft, white, double sterile, hydrophilic pad impregnated with kaolin. It is double-wrapped in a blister package and foil pouch for aseptic technique. QuikClot Interventional Hemostatic Bandage is applied topically as an adjunct to manual compression and is indicated for the local management and control of external bleeding from vascular access sites and percutantous catheters or tubes utilizing sheaths up to 12 Fr.
QuikClot Trauma Pad consists of a soft, white, double sterile, three-ply 12”x12” (30cm x 30cm) pad impregnated with kaolin. It is double-wrapped in a peelable foil package for aseptic technique. QuikClot Trauma Pad is indicated for temporary external use to control traumatic bleeding and is also x-ray detectable to ensure proper removal.

About Z-Medica

Z-Medica Corporation is a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents. The company manufactures and markets its QuikClot® family of products for hemostasis for use by healthcare professionals, first responders, law enforcement officers and the military. QuikClot products rapidly enhance the body’s natural coagulation process, helping to achieve hemostasis faster. Z-Medica’s QuikClot® Combat Gauze™ product was chosen by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) as the United States Military’s sole source supplier for first-line hemostatic treatment, based on tests conducted by the Naval Medical Research Center and the U.S. Army Institute for Surgical Research. It continues to be the exclusive product used by all USA military forces for first line treatment of bleeding hemorrhage. QuikClot® products are also widely used by first responders, in hospital emergency rooms, interventional cardiology and radiology laboratories and other healthcare environments where bleeding requires fast and effective control. Z-Medica, named one of the Top 100 Technology “Companies to Watch” in 2008 by the Connecticut Technology Council, is a privately-held company based in Wallingford, CT. More information about Z-Medica Corporation is available at www.z-medica.com.

About Nihon Kohden

Nihon Kohden is Japan’s leading manufacturer, developer and distributor of patient monitors, defibrillators, ECGs, EEGs, EP/EMGs, hematology analyzers and other medical electronic equipment, with subsidiaries in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and distributors in nearly every country in the world. Nihon Kohden is a publicly held company listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In addition to designing medical equipment for hospital and clinic use, Nihon Kohden actively contributes to the advance of medical technology.

Z-Medica QuikClot Interventional Hemostatic Bandages Now Available for Use During Catheterization Procedures

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents, today announced the availability of the QuikClot® Interventional™ hemostatic bandage, on display at booth #1338 at the 21st annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation. One of the primary applications for the new QuikClot® Interventional™ hemostatic bandage is to control arterial and venous bleeding following cardiac catheterization or other vascular access procedures that traditionally have required considerable manual compression time or clamping which can be painful for the patient.
QuikClot® Interventional™ is a non-invasive, easy to use hemostatic bandage indicated for use in the local management and control of external bleeding from vascular access sites and percutaneous catheters or tubes utilizing sheaths of up to 12 Fr. It is safe to use and proven effective for use on femoral and other arterial and venous bleeds. It contains an inert and inorganic mineral that has no known contraindications and accelerates the body’s natural hemostatic process. For ease of use, the product does not require any advance preparation and is double-packaged in a blister package and a foil pouch for aseptic technique. It includes a 3M® Tegaderm® adhesive bandage for easy application.
QuikClot® Interventional™ is applied in three simple steps and requires no special training. The health care professional removes the hemostatic pad from the packaging and places it into the sterile field using sterile technique. The hemostatic pad is then placed on the puncture site and manual pressure is applied for at least five minutes or until bleeding stops. Finally, without moving or lifting the pad, the 3M® Tegaderm® adhesive bandage is applied over the pad and secured to the skin, while manual compression is maintained. The QuikClot® hemostatic pad may be left in place for up to 24 hours and can be removed by gently peeling away the Tegaderm® bandage and removing the pad. QuikClot® Interventional™ is currently being used in several interventional cardiology and radiology laboratories across the U.S. Recently, Z-Medica Corporation has gathered over 300 documented reports of human use of this product with an overall success rate of 98.2%, meaning that this novel device was able to achieve hemostasis in virtually all cases following arterial and venous catheterization.

Hemostasis, Control of Bloodloss - War, EMS, Military,First Resonders, Ambulance

EMS Hemostasis Articles

Gen II Quikclot Developer gets award and eyes surgical arena

UC Santa Barbara chemistry professor Galen Stucky has been honored for his role in the development of a blood-clotting gauze that is helping save soldiers who suffer severe, life-threatening injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Department of Defense’s Advanced Technology Applications for Combat Casualty Care Award was presented to Stucky Aug. 11 during the opening ceremonies of the group’s annual meeting in Florida. The ATACCC convention is the premier scientific meeting on the battlefield medical needs of the nation's soldiers and on recent advances in trauma surgery and medicine. “I am very honored,” said Stucky of the ATACCC award. “In retrospect, this project has meant more to me than any other that I’ve worked on for the past 40 years. The most important aspect of this work is the thought that it is providing life support that is needed on an immediate-response basis to both military and civilian personnel. For those who knowingly are in harm’s way, it is particularly important.”Stucky and his colleagues were asked by the Office of Naval Research to work with Connecticut-based Z-Medica to improve its zeolite-based substance, QuikClot brand hemostatic agent, which promotes instant clotting and sealing of the wound until the injured can be taken to medical facilities. Adding to the task, the Navy wanted a solution within six months.Stucky said the next step is developing ways to stop internal bleeding. Imagine a successful, blood-borne process that would stem bleeding, say, in the case of a concussion. He and his team are planning to put their efforts into a new research project to tackle the problem.

Comparison of Celox, Hemcon and Quikclot

Celox sent me this report comparing Hemcon and Z-medica with Celox HERE (its a verified safe Pdf download from adrive).
Given the positive results I was left wondering why this product was not the sole choice of the Military, in particular the US forces?
So I emailed Craig Hardy, CEO, MedTrade Products Ltd and asked him........

Me: According to the Jan. ’08 Portsmouth pdf study (comparing Celox with Hemcon and Z-medica’s, Quikclot) the results indicate Celox shows a 100% survival rate. Is this product currently undergoing any evaluation by the military?

Craig: Yes. Celox is used in some performance critical areas of the military and being evaluated in many others. Its an ongoing process.

Me: Given that Medtrade is a U.K. based company what (if any) impact has this had for the uptake of Celox by the U.S. military?

Craig: In the US, Celox is distributed to the Military through Sam Medical in Portland Oregon. The UK is a very close ally of the US. We have heard of no decisions made on the basis of location. However our head office location means we are not as politically connected as some competitors and I believe this may have a significant effect.

U.S. Department of Defense Picks New QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) as First-Line Hemostatic Treatment for All Military Services

WALLINGFORD, Conn., May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Z-Medica Corporation (Z-Medica), a medical products company focused on innovative blood clotting nano-technologies, announced that the United States Department of Defense has selected the company's newest hemostatic product, QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) brand, for all military services as the first-line hemostatic treatment for life-threatening hemorrhage that is not amenable to tourniquet placement. Bleeding is the number one cause of death for soldiers injured in battle and QuikClot(R) products offer the most effective solution to severe blood loss outside the operating room setting. They have been proven in battlefield use and, with more than one million units deployed, are the leading hemostatic agents in the field.
The Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) made the decision to recommend QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) after reviewing test reports on a number of hemostatic products. QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) was the only one of these products tested by both the Naval Medical Research Center and the U.S. Army Institute for Surgical Research. In addition to test efficacy, the committee sited a number of other factors in according QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) the number one position: -- Preference for the gauze delivery format, which is familiar to combat
medical personnel.
-- Ability of QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) to be shaped to any wound and
to reach bleeding vessels in penetrating wounds.
-- Ease of removal once hemostasis has been achieved.
"Z-Medica's approach to product innovation has always been to listen to the voice of our customer and to focus our research & development efforts on delivering life-saving products that meet their needs," said Z-Medica CEO Raymond J. Huey. "With QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) we have provided a product that is virtually 100% effective in a very intuitive format that can be applied quickly and simply by anyone."
QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) combines surgical gauze with a proprietary inorganic material that stops arterial and venous bleeding in seconds -- even more rapidly in this format than earlier Z-Medica products. Based on a different mineral than zeolite-based QuikClot(R) products, it generates no heat. It shares the benefit of being inert and non-allergenic. QuikClot(R) Combat Gauze(TM) comes in rolls four yards long by three inches wide.
In addition to the military testing, the new product was tested in pre-clinical trials at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the University of Massachusetts Medical School and at various field facilities. It has 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The United States Department of Defense has awarded Z-Medica a $3.2 million grant for large-scale testing of the product on penetrating wounds. These multi-center clinical trials will take place during 2008.
Earlier QuikClot(R) products are in use by all branches of the U.S. Military, by first responders and security agencies across the U.S. and in 36 countries worldwide, with more than a million units in distribution. Z-Medica recently launched its first products for consumers.

Nanoparticle Laden High-Tech Gauze Looks To Save Lives

Nanoparticles are one of the hottest fields of studies. These tiny molecules promise to revolutionize everything from medicine, to computing, to power, to water purification. The diverse uses being discovered are only limited by the difficulties in bringing this incredibly promising technology to market.
Now the scientific community is enthralled by a perhaps unexpected new use of the particles -- high-tech gauze. By using a special gauze fabric, permeated with Kaolin clay which is rich in aluminosilicate nanoparticles, scientists have discovered they can dramatically inducing clotting that is nothing short of a medical miracle.
The gauze bandage is easy to apply and greatly improves clotting in hard to apply regions such as the neck or groin. This makes it ideal for the battlefield. In recent conflicts, such as the Iraq war, many of the casualties have been due to blood loss. The new gauze could soon be saving lives.
Richard McCarron, head of trauma and resuscitative medicine at the Naval Medical Research Center in Maryland stated, "We are currently testing bandages because hemorrhage is a leading cause of death in military trauma patients. The recent tests with Combat Gauze indicate that it decreased blood loss and improved survival."
Z-Medica, a medical products company located in Connecticut, manufactures the high tech gauze. Z-Medica CEO Ray Huey says the new gauze has already saved two lives. Huey describes his company's start, stating, "In 2002, following the September 11 attacks, the military was looking at new technologies to stop bleeding."
The company easily won the Navy's test of high-tech medical products, according to Huey, when Z-Medica debuted its first product, QuikClot, a special powder dumped on wounds to induce clotting. The powder is currently in use in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, despite saving lives QuikClot had some nasty side effects. During the clotting process, the powder heated up enough to cause burns, which many of the soldiers complained of. While burns were better than dying, Z-Medica went back to work looking for a better solution.
A leading materials researcher Galen Stucky led a team of several graduate students and collaborated with Z-Medica to solve the problem. Stucky's solution was to instead use a material frequently used in medical testing -- Kaolin Clay. The clay's nanoparticles trigger clotting.
Graduate student April Sawvel explains, "Kaolin clay has been used since the 1950s as an activating agent for a clotting test that medical doctors routinely perform. We tested it against the original granular QuikClot and discovered that it worked just as well, but without the large heat release associated with the original QuikClot formulation."
While some nanoparticles are thought to possibly be hazardous, there is little known risk from aluminosilicate nanoparticles, which have been frequently which mankind has been in contact with since its early days. Further, the nanoparticles are trapped by the clot at the site of the injury, so should have little chance of traveling into the body.
Having found the new material the team found that it was much easier to use it, when it was added to gauze, instead of a powder. Huey describes, "We immediately started looking at ways to impregnate gauze with this material. We very quickly prototyped some material. When I say very quickly, I mean within less than two weeks."

The video below shows the original Quikclot.