Medtronic Announces Purchase of Innovative Gel Technology for Potential Use in Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS)

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) today announced that it has completed the purchase of rights to a chitosan-dextran gel technology from Adelaide Research & Innovation Pty Ltd. (the commercial development company of the University of Adelaide) in Australia, Robinson Squidgel Ltd., and Otago Innovation Ltd. (a University of Otago company) in New Zealand. Medtronic is acquiring this technology for potential use in developing future products for functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).
“The chitosan-dextran gel technology would enhance Medtronic’s ability to offer innovative, therapeutic products for sinus surgeons to use in postoperative patient care”
More than 525,000 FESS procedures are performed annually in the US.1 The most common complications are bleeding and adhesions,2,3 which are scars that can form at the surgical site as sinus tissues heal after FESS. These adhesions can block the sinuses, potentially causing disease to recur and requiring additional surgery.
The innovative chitosan-dextran gel has been shown in animal studies to provide hemostasis (control of bleeding) and aid in wound-healing after FESS.2 Additionally, a human trial demonstrated that the chitosan-dextran gel resulted in rapid hemostasis immediately after FESS and fewer postoperative adhesions.3
Chitosan is a polymer produced from the chitin of shellfish and squid. Its powerful hemostatic properties have been extensively studied,2-10 leading to its use in a hemostatic bandage distributed to all deployed US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.11
“The chitosan-dextran gel technology would enhance Medtronic’s ability to offer innovative, therapeutic products for sinus surgeons to use in postoperative patient care,” said Mark Fletcher, president of the ENT division of the Surgical Technologies business of Medtronic. “As a leader in the FESS market, we’re pleased to have the opportunity to expand our FESS product portfolio.”

Appeals Court Stays Judgment in HemCon's Patent Infringement Case

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc., announced today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted HemCon's motion to stay the injunction and final judgment (including the damages award) obtained against it in a patent infringement case brought by Marine Polymer Technologies, Inc. The stay halts any enforcement of the lower court’s injunction and damages award while HemCon attempts to have both overturned on appeal, a process expected to take on the order of 12 to 18 months to complete. As a result, HemCon can continue selling its chitosan-based wound care products and will not be required to pay financial damages during this appeal process.
"HemCon is extremely pleased that the appellate court agreed that HemCon could continue selling its product line during the pendency of the appeal. We will urge on appeal that the lower court decision finding infringement was incorrect, in part because the Marine Polymer patent is invalid when properly interpreted," said John W. Morgan, HemCon's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The stay is a victory for HemCon's customers, including military personnel whose lives are being saved by HemCon products, and hospital patients who benefit from reduced infection risk and better hemostasis."
The stay is the most recent decision in the patent infringement action instituted by Marine Polymer Technologies, Inc. "In imposing the stay, the Court of Appeals concluded that HemCon had shown a strong likelihood of succeeding on appeal, or at least a substantial case on the merits and that any potential harm weighed in HemCon’s favor," Morgan explained. "We believe the appeals court will ultimately agree with our conclusion that our products do not infringe the Marine Polymer patent. We look forward to further presenting our case to the Court.”
HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc. (www.hemcon.com) founded in 2001, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative technologies to control bleeding and infection resulting from trauma or surgery. HemCon products are designed for use by military and civilian first responders as well as medical professionals in hospital, dental and clinical settings where rapid control of bleeding is of critical importance. HemCon is headquartered in Portland, Ore., with additional commercial operations in Ireland and the Czech Republic.

HemCon Medical Technologies Will Appeal Patent Judgment

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc., announced today that it will appeal a permanent injunction entered by a US District Court in New Hampshire based on a patent held by Marine Polymer Technologies, Inc. The injunction enjoins further manufacture, use and sale of HemCon’s HEMCON® BANDAGE, CHITOFLEX® DRESSINGS, HEMCON® DENTAL DRESSINGS and any other products which are no more than colorably different from those products. HemCon intends to file a motion for an emergency stay of the injunction during the pendency of the appeal."HemCon will urge on appeal that the Marine Polymer patent is not infringed and/or is invalid, and ask the appellate court to overturn or vacate the judgment. We firmly believe that the lower court made the wrong decision and we are hopeful that the Court of Appeals will correct this and find that HemCon’s products do not infringe the patent or that the patent is invalid,” said John W. Morgan, HemCon's President and Chief Executive Officer.
Marine Polymer sued HemCon in 2006, alleging that HemCon had violated its patent covering a biocompatible chitosan compound. Marine Polymer’s patent describes a chitosan compound that is derived from the sterile culturing of marine micro algae.
HemCon uses a chitosan compound to manufacture highly effective bandages that have been used in battlefield conditions by the U.S. military, among others. HemCon does not use chitosan that is derived from sterile culturing of micro algae, as described in the Marine Polymer patent.
HemCon has separately initiated a proceeding to reexamine the validity of the patent through the US Patent & Trademark Office. In 2009, HemCon filed a request with the Patent Office to reexamine, and possibly invalidate or limit, Marine Polymer’s patent in light of prior publications about chitosan. The Patent Office granted the Request for Reexamination in November 2009. On April 1, 2010, the Patent Office issued a first office action, rejecting all claims of Marine Polymer’s patent. Marine Polymer has filed a response canceling some patent claims and arguing that the remaining claims are valid as originally issued.

IIT-K develops polymer to stop bleeding

Researchers at the Department of Biological Sciences and Bio Engineering of IIT-Kanpur claim to have developed a polymer which when applied to a fresh wound stops bleeding within five seconds. They believe the Natural Polymer Sponge (NPS), which has been developed from a chemical found in crab shells, would revolutionise medical treatment, as excessive bleeding has often been the main cause of fatalities.

“A polymer sponge that can promote haemostasis (the process to prevent the flow of blood from an injured body part) has not been developed anywhere else,” said Ashok Kumar Kaul, Associate Professor in the Bio-Sciences and Bio-Engineering Department. Kaul said the haemostasis creams and ointments available in the market provide only partial relief. “In fact, they are ineffective in controlling bleeding in major injuries,” he added. After conducting animal trials, the IIT-K team is now looking forward for clinical testing of the product and is also planning to apply for a patent.

The NPS is made from a substance called chitin extracted from crab shells at -20 degrees Celsius using “cryogelation technology”. The chitin is modified into another substance called chitosan. “Using dextran and other polysaccharides, chitosan is developed into NPS. The sponge has several pores which have the capacity to absorb large volumes of blood to promote haemostasis,” said Kaul.

The biodegradable NPS is in the form of a 1-mm thin sheet but can be different as per requirement. “We have designed the NPS to have a similar impact in all seasons,” Kaul said, adding that they will look for collaboration with foreign institutes for further tests if required.

Biotechnology a boon to Textile Industry

The biotechnology has prefabricated rapid developments in genetic engineering with a possibility of ‘tailoring’ organisms in order to optimize production of established or novel metabolites of commercial importance and of transferring genetic material (genes) from one organism to another. It has economized developing industrial processes with less energy and renewable raw materials thus it is an effective interdisciplinary and integrate natural and engineering sciences. Few textile industrial uses are focused here.

Fibers and Biopolymers: Cotton, wool and silk natural textile fibers are an calibre but biotechnology producing one-of-a-kind fibers and improve yields of existing fibers. Cotton is leading worldwide textile fiber with ca 20 million tons grown/year by about 85 countries but it is vulnerable to many insects, and to maintain yields, massive amounts of pesticides are in use. Cotton is prone to infestation by weeds under intense irrigation conditions and needs throughout its growth cycle, and has poor tolerance to any of the herbicides. Hence biotechnologists have place forward short-term objectives on genetically engineering insect, disease and herbicide resistance into cotton plant along with modification of fiber calibre and properties to have high performance cottons. Naturally colored cottons are attracting the world market hence transgenic intensely colored cottons (blues and vivid reds) is dream of the day that can replace bleaching and dyeing.

Biotechnology has largely influenced animal fiber production, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, diagnostics, genetically engineered vaccines and therapeutic drugs are other catchments of it. CSIRO, Australia’s national research organization is place up efforts for genetic modification of sheep to resist attack from blowfly larvae by engineering a sheep that secretes an insect repellent from its hair follicles and ‘biological wool shearing’’. And is expected to artificial epidermal growth bourgeois which on injection into sheep disturbs hair growth, within a month, it breaks up in wool fiber and fleece can be pulled off whole in half the time it takes to shear a sheep.

Fermentation is developing biopolymers at large-scale i.e. bacterial storage compound polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is developed by Zeneca Bioproducts and is as produced ‘Biopol’. It high molecular weight linear polyester and thermoplastic (melts at 180°C) and can be melt spun into biocompatible and biodegradable fibers suitable for surgical use where human body enzymes slowly degrade sutures. Biopol is being used as conventional plastics for shampoo bottles but it is not economic, research is on to produce Biopol from plants, probably from genetically engineered variety of rape. Polysaccharides chitin, alginate, dextran and hyaluronic acid biopolymers are of interest in wound healing as chitin and its derivative chitosan are important components of fungal cell walls, at present manufactured from sea food (shellfish) wastes. Patents taken out by Asian Unitika cite a use of fibers prefabricated out of chitin in wound dressings. At BTTG, research has been directed for use of intact fungal filaments as a direct source of chitin or chitosan fiber to produce affordable wound dressings and other novel materials. Tests are carried out at Welsh School of Pharmacy indicate that these products have wound healing acceleration properties. Wound dressings based on calcium alginate fibers have already been developed by Courtaulds and are marketed as ‘Sorbsan’. Present supplies of this polysaccharide rely on its extraction from brown seaweed’s. However, a polymer of similar structure can also be produced by fermentation from certain species of bacteria. Dextran, which is manufactured by fermentation of sucrose by Leuconostoc mesenteroides or related species of bacteria, is also being developed as a fibrous non-woven for specialty end-uses such as wound dressings. Additional one-of-a-kind biopolymers are now coming onto market thanks to biotechnology e.g. hyaluronic acid a polydisaccharide of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl glucosamine found in connective tissue matrices of vertebrates and is also present in capsules of some bacteria. The original method of production by extraction from rooster combs was very inefficient requiring 5 kg of rooster combs to wage 4 g of hyaluronic acid. Fermentech, a British biotechnology company, is now producing hyaluronic acid by fermentation. The same amount of high calibre purified hyaluronic acid can be obtained from 4 liters of fermentation broth as opposed to 5 kg of rooster combs.

Different biotechnological routes for cellulose production are being worked out globally, cellulose is produced as an extra cellular polysaccharide by several bacteria in form of ribbon-like micro fibrils, and can be used to produce moulded materials of relatively high strength. Sony, a Asian electronics company has patented a way of making hi-fi loudspeaker cones and diaphragms from bacterial cellulose. An substitute route to cellulose, still at a very primeval stage of development, concerns in vitro cultivation of plant cells. Culturing cells of various strains of Gossypium can produce cotton fibers in vitro include a more uniform product displaying particularly desirable properties. Plant tissue culture can wage a steady, all year supply of products without climatic or geographic limitations free of contamination from pests. Proteins are interesting biopolymers for utilizing new genetic manipulation techniques where animal and plant proteins genes (e.g. collagen, various silks) can now be transferred into suitable microbial hosts and proteins produced by fermentation. US army is taking up spider silk as a high performance fiber for bulletproof vests.

Enzymes

Chemical reactions by catalytic proteins (enzymes) are a central feature of living systems, living cells makes enzymes even though the enzymes themselves are not alive and we can encourage living cells to make more enzymes than they would normally make. Or to make a slightly different enzyme (protein engineering) with improved characteristics of specificity, stability and performance in industrial processes and operate under mild conditions of pH and temperature. Many enzymes exhibit great specificity and stereo selectivity. With a notable exception of starch-size removal by amylases, however, scant attention is given to application of enzymes in textile processing for preparation textile fibers e.g. flax and hemp by dew retting involves action of pectolytic enzymes from various microorganisms, which degrade pectin in middle lamella of these plant fibers. Yet no attempts appear to be taken to use isolated enzyme preparations for desired effects even though their effectiveness has been demonstrated in the laboratory.

Use of isolated enzymes to remove fats and waxes, pectin’s, seed-coat material and colored impurities from loom say cotton and cotton/polyester fabrics, leading to a novel, low-energy fabric-preparation process, (replace scouring and bleaching) is investigated at BTTG. Only partial success is prefabricated using existing commercial enzyme preparations due to the recalcitrant nature of some of components and process was found to be too slow and therefore uneconomic for current applications. Enzyme that is being applied in textile processing for removal of hydrogen peroxide prior to dyeing is catalase. Undoubtedly, use of microbial enzymes can be expected to expand into many other areas of textile industry replacing existing chemical or mechanical processes in not too distant future.

Contrary to textile processing enzymes are used in detergents since their inception in 1960’s, and washing powders are referred to as ‘biological’, and degrade stains with milder washing conditions at lower temperatures saving energy and protects fabric. Cellulose enzymes could replace pumice stones used to produce ’stone-washed’ denim garments, stones can alteration clothes, particularly the hems and waistbands, and most manufacturers are now using enzyme treatment. Cellulose enzymes are in biopolishing, a removal of fuzz from surface of cellulosic fibers, which eliminates pilling making fabrics smoother and cleaner looking. Similarly protease enzymes are developed for wool.

Interesting uses of enzymes are in biotransformation with biocatalytic transformation of one chemical to another. In practice, either intact cells, an extract from such cells or an isolated enzyme might be used as the catalyst system of a specific reaction. Concentration of individual enzymes in cells is typically less than 1 per cent this can now be increased using gene increment techniques. Bulk chemical production by oil-based processes is being replaced by biotransformations, biotechnology competes with chemical synthesis. For example, optical activity of chemicals as of polymer precursors is likely to grow and biotransformation has a particular edge over traditional chemical methods.

Textile Auxiliaries: These are dyes produced by fermentation or from plants in future in the nineteenth century many of colors used to dye textiles came from plants e.g. woad, indigo and madder. Many microorganisms produce pigments during their growth, which are substantive as indicated by permanent staining and associated with mildew growth on textiles and plastics. Some species produce up to 30% of their dry weight as pigment, such microbial pigments are benzoquinone, naphthoquinone, anthraquinone, and perinaphthenone and benzofluoranthenequinone derivatives, resembling in some instances the important group of vat dyes. Microorganisms offer great potential for direct production of novel textile dyes or dye intermediates by controlled fermentation techniques replacing chemical synthesis. Production and evaluation of microbial pigments as textile colorants is currently being investigated at BTTG. Another biotechnological route for producing pigments for use in food, cosmetics or textile industries is from plant cell culture, e.g. red pigment shikonin (cosmetics) is being commercially produced since 1983 in Japan. Shikonin was extracted from roots of five-year-old Lithosperum erythrorhiz plants where it makes up about 1 to 2 percent of dry weight of roots. In tissue culture, pigment yields of about 15 percent of dry weight of root cells have been achieved.

New Analytical Tools: Work on molecular biology at BTTG has led to development of species-specific DNA probes for animal fibers to detect adulteration of high value specialty fibers such as cashmere by much cheaper fibers e.g. wool and yak hair. Rapid methods are being evolved to assist in primeval detection of biodeterioration of textile and other materials. BTTG have shown that presence of viable microorganisms on textiles can be assessed using enzyme luciferase isolated from firefly (Photinus pyralis), which releases light (bioluminescence) in combination with ATP produced by the microorganisms.

Waste Management: Microbes or their enzymes are being used to degrade toxic wastes instead of traditional processes, thus waste treatment is useful industrial calibre of biotechnology. In textile industry color removal from dyehouse effluent, toxic heavy metal compounds and pentachlorophenol used overseas as a rot-proofing treatment of cotton fabrics but washed out during subsequent processing in the UK pose a challenge for disposal. Currently efforts are on to resolve such problems perhaps biotechnology would appear to offer the most effective solutions.

Conclusions: Biotechnology is being treated as upcoming science with enormous commercial implications for many industrial sectors in years to come. It has successfully developed new products, opened up new doors, expedited production and helped to clean up environment. Mainly biotechnology is contributing a lot to textile industries but it current awareness is low. Michael Heseltine recently launched ‘Biotechnology Means Business’ initiative in the UK to inform companies about biotechnology and place them in touch with experts to deploy biotechnology to give a competitive edge to their business to win new markets. E.g. downstream processing after fermentation accounts for at least 70 percent of production costs in biotechnology and there is the need for improved filtration and separation techniques. Hollow fibers and membranes, which separate molecules according to size, are finding increased application in this area.

Enzymes are used in detergents e.g. protease removes stains caused by proteins such as blood, grass, egg and human sweat. Amylase removes starch-based stains such as those prefabricated by potatoes, pasta, rice and custard. Lipase breaks down fats, oils and greases removing stains based on salad oils, butter, fat-based sauces and soups, and certain cosmetics such as lipstick. Cellulase brightens and softens the fabric, and release particles of dirt trapped in the fibers. Briefly biotechnology improves plant varieties used in production of textile fibers and in fiber properties, and derives fibers from animals and health care of the animals along with novel fibers from biopolymers and genetically altered microorganisms. The survismeter is a effective tool to characterize broth fermentation.

References

Biotechnology Means Business: say of the art report on ‘The Textile & Clothing Industries’, 1995, The Biotechnology Unit, DTI, LGC, Queens Rd., Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0LY, UK. Tiny Book on Enzymes and the Environment, 1993, NovoNordisk A/S, DK – 2880, Bagsvaerd, Denmark.

Glossary: Biotechnology: Use of living organisms or their cellular, sub cellular or molecular constituents to manufacture products and establish processes. DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, chemical molecule to carry hereditary information to pass from parent to offspring. DNA Probe: Single DNA strand used to detect a presence of complementary strands of DNA. Enzymes: Protein molecules that speed up specific chemical reactions and remain unchanged. Gene: Unit of heredity composed of DNA.

Genetic Engineering: A range of techniques for manipulating DNA and thereby modifying the genetic structure of living organisms. Transgenesis: Stable incorporation of foreign DNA from one species into another. For example, incorporating genes from a bacterium has developed insect resistant transgenic plants.

Surgical Device Company Wins 2010 NJTC "Best Early Stage Company" Award

At the 12th Annual New Jersey Technology Council (NJTC) Venture Conference in Somerset, NJ on March 26, Endomedix, Inc. (www.endomedix.com) unveiled a sprayable surgical hemostat that promises to change the way surgeons control bleeding during surgeries such as craniotomy and Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) sinus procedures. The company’s proprietary technology will also lead to flowable hemostats for use in most other surgeries as well for military, first responder and ER applications. The Company’s product portfolio and business plans were key factors that led to the selection of Endomedix as the recipient of the "Best Early Stage Company" Award by judges at the Conference, where more than 65 companies showcased a broad spectrum of leading edge new technologies, products and services.

The Endomedix device sprays on the surgical site and forms a hydrogel in seconds, leading to the rapid formation of a mechanical clot. The hydrogel also contains a natural hemostat to amplify the natural cascade of coagulation. The device can produce effective hemostasis, or control of bleeding, much faster and is easier to use than competitive products. Since many surgeries require that bleeding be controlled many times during a procedure, the new device will save hospitals thousands of dollars per case in OR and anesthesia charges alone.

"Our technology is based on natural materials with a long history of use in FDA-regulated products, and our intellectual property is based on the innovative treatment and processing of these materials", explains Richard Russo, Chief Executive Officer. "Surgeons will be able to spray on our devices precisely, with almost immediate effect, so they can continue the surgery without having to wait a long time for bleeding to stop. Our product is also transparent, so unlike products currently available, the surgeon can see through it to confirm that bleeding has stopped."

Unlike many companies that try to invent something totally new, such as cure for a disease, Endomedix is developing products with improved performance and ease of use for procedures that surgeons perform every day. "It’s exciting to develop a device for a billion dollar plus market that both performs better and costs less to produce than the devices currently available," says Russo. "We’re in a strong position given what’s happening in medical care delivery systems around the world."

The daylong annual NJTC meeting is the largest of its kind on the East Coast. More than 65 companies showcased technologies and products from various sectors, including life sciences, information technology, energy/environmental management, telecommunications and nanotechnology. "Participants included a new crop of vibrant startup companies" said Aron Spencer, CEO of InVenture LLC, a firm that helps startups leverage inventions into viable companies, and Professor of Entrepreneurship at New Jersey Institute of Technology. "Selecting a single winner this year was not easy, but the combination of its experienced management, technology and business opportunity certainly qualifies Endomedix as the Best Early Stage Company of 2010".

"We are moving steadily toward commercialization, and one of the key challenges that every firm in our situation must overcome is obtaining additional investment funds in this very difficult business environment", noted Russo. "We are making use of the experience and talents of the New Jersey Entrepreneurs Forum (www.NJEF.org) to provide insight on how to navigate the world of professional investors interested in private companies and startups. Their advice has helped us enhance our investment appeal, as evidenced by this Award."

Crabs and eyeballs not usually a good mix

Australian scientists have developed a new type of surgical glue, made from crab shells, that could replace stitches now used in eye surgery.
The liquid, which is painted onto a wound or incision and then heat sealed with an infrared laser, cuts the risk of infection and scarring that can cause vision loss.
Co-inventor of "SurgiLux", Associate Professor John Foster who leads the University of NSW's Biopolymer Research Group, said it could also be used safely in brain and nerve surgery.
"Some glue technologies rely upon ultra-violet for wound bonding but aren't really suitable because UV-rays damage living cells," Dr Foster said in a statement.
"The beauty of SurgiLux is that an infrared laser doesn't cause tissue damage ... better still, it has inherent anti-microbial properties, which discourage post-operative infections."
The green-coloured polymer is made from crab-shell extract and it is biodegradable.
A commercial backer for the product is now being sought, to fund further clinical trials ahead of a possible launch on the global tissue sealants market.
This market was estimated at more than $500 million in 2008, with an eight per cent annual growth rate.
NewSouth Innovations (NSi), the university's commercialisation body, controls the rights to the invention.
"NSi and the inventors of SurgiLux are seeking partners to clinically and commercially develop this proprietary technology," said NSi Business Development Manager Dr Alfredo Martinez-Coll.
"The nature of the investment would be through collaborative research and or a licence deal.

New Ultra-Thin Surgical Patch Has Endless Possibilities

Throughout the decades, surgeons have typically used stitches and staples to close up wounds. They may even use sheets several millimeters thick coated with fibrin, a protein that makes blood clot and is glue-like but which can cause unwanted sticking to nearby tissue.

Now, Japanese scientists have revealed a new, cutting edge surgical ‘nano-sheet’ they have developed that is one thousand times thinner than Cellophane that can patch up internal wounds before dissolving inside the body.

This transparent adhesive sheeting is made from a substance derived from crab shells and a viscous gum from algae and is only 75 nanometers thick. A nanometer is one-billionth of one meter.

"This is the world's thinnest adhesive plaster," said Toshinori Fujie, a researcher involved in the joint project by Tokyo's private Waseda University and the National Defense Medical College.


"We know food Cellophane clings on to the surface of various objects. We have made a sheet ultimately thin... so that it is highly flexible and can stick to organs well with no glue," he told AFP.

The experiment, which was repeated several times, consisted of using the new nano-sheet to patch a six-millimeter-wide hole in a dog’s lung.

The sheet proved to have the strength to stand up under the pressure of the dog’s respiration and allow the wounds to heal within a month without a visible trace, according to Fujie.

Researchers hope to launch human clinical trials in three years.

The sheets might also prove to be useful in treating external wounds in the future as well.

"Organs repaired with this sheet do not have scars, unlike after stitches," Fujie said. "We believe this could also be true on the skin."

If the tests show that it is effective externally, it could open up a world of applications such as being applied to wounds from surgery in breast cancer patients, he said.

"Some people also want to use this for treating bed sores. The next application will definitely be on the skin," he said.

Fujie says that the inventors have been exploring all possibilities, even cosmetic uses such as stretching out wrinkles or holding skin conditioners in place.

"As this is transparent on the skin, you could be wearing a face pack while working in the office," he said.

HemCon Patch

HemCon Medical Technologies offers a more flexible HemCon Patch designed for use for external, temporary control of bleeding during interventional and diagnostic cardiac catheterization, interventional radiology, electrophysiology and dialysis access procedures.

Offering diagnostic and interventional patients a quick, safe and comfortable post-procedural experience, the HemCon Patch delivers a flexible hemostatic solution where rapid arterial hemostasis is critically important to ensure quality care and safety. It stops bleeding and minimizes risk of artery damage. As one of the only hemostatic products to obtain an FDA antibacterial barrier claim, the HemCon Patch provides a barrier against a wide spectrum of micro-organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) and Acinetobacter baumannii. This barrier may help to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections for both patients and providers. The HemCon Patch is also suited for patients that take anticoagulant medications or suffer from clotting or bleeding disorders.

Celox-A delivery system

Just recieved the Video of Celox-A delivery system I would like to share with you all below and the Pdf downloadable from Adrive and verified safe HERE

HemCon Medical Technologies Leverages Sangui Technology to Expand its Wound Care Products Line

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HemCon Medical Technologies Inc. today announced it will use Witten, Germany-based SanguiBioTech GmbH’s ChitoSkin technology platform to help further innovations in hemostatic bandages and wound care dressings for the acute care market.
Under the terms of the agreement, HemCon will leverage Sangui’s technology platform to enhance and expand its product offerings for surgical and wound care. HemCon developed the chitosan-based hemostatic HemCon® Bandages and ChitoFlex® dressings that are used by military and medical first responders as well as health care professionals around the globe.
“We explored a wide variety of technology platforms to add to our new surgical and wound care offerings and feel that the Sangui chitosan platform offers great opportunities to enhance our solutions,” said John W. Morgan, president and CEO of HemCon. “We’re committed to continuing our investment to develop new choices for medical professionals and consumers. This agreement is an important step forward in realizing the full potential of chitosan-based products.”
SanguiBioTech GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sangui BioTech International, Inc. Sangui BioTech International focuses on vascular and hemostasis products. The firm specializes in developing oxygen-carrying agents to treat blocked arteries, anemia or acute blood loss through SanguiBioTech GmbH.
“We are proud to enter into an agreement with HemCon and offer our chitosan platform to help innovate new surgical and wound care products,” said Sangui Managing Director Hubertus Schmelz. “There is definitely a demand for products that can adapt to specific medical needs, especially as it relates to wound care.”
HemCon retains exclusive worldwide market and distributing rights for products developed under this structured financial agreement. HemCon will submit developed products for U.S. approvals to the FDA, while Sangui will prepare documentation for registration in the European Union.

Chitosan

There's an interesting research paper on Chitosan HERE its a 3.5Mb Pdf and verified safe download from adrive.

Celox

CELOX is an innovative new hemostat designed to bond with specific sites which are present on the surface of red blood cells and platelets to make a gel like clot /plug. This process is totally different from the body’s normal clotting mechanisms. CELOX is a proprietary blend of materials covered by 3 international patent applications.
CELOX contains a natural marine polymer, Chitosan.
Chitosan is a highly purified polysaccharide derivative of shrimp shells.
Chitosan is used widely and is in such products as bandages, medical devices diet aids and some cosmetics. It is an approved food ingredient.

Shrimp-shell wound healant to get space test

A biopolymer produced from shrimp shells that has proved invaluable in treating wounded soldiers will be put to a new test in August – aboard the space shuttle Endeavour.
A commercial experiment will assess how the material, called chitosan, affects human immune cells in space, where they are less responsive than on the ground.
The US Army equips its troops in Iraq with chitosan-laden bandages both to speed blood clotting in fresh wounds, and to stop bacterial infections. NASA does not expect astronauts to fight battles in space, but has to plan for accidents, and worries that slow healing or infection of wounds could imperil long-duration missions to Mars or other distant targets.
The test also could pay dividends on the ground. They are being paid for by Hawaii Chitopure, which makes the highly purified chitosan used in military bandages and hopes to show that chitosan can reduce inflammation, as well as kill bacteria. That could reduce scarring and other harmful byproducts of immune response, says Shenda Baker, a chemist at Harvey Mudd College in California, US, and president of BioSTAR west, the company which will carry out the experiments.
"While mammalian cells don't like microgravity, bacteria grow very well," Baker told New Scientist. The best-known example was the thriving colony of terrestrial bacteria that contaminated the Russian Mir space station so badly that cosmonauts became sick.
Biofilms have also been found on the space shuttle. Without help from materials like chitosan, bacteria could overwhelm mammalian immune systems during long space missions.
Charged exoskeleton
Chitosan is a water-soluble form of chitin, an abundant long-chain natural biopolymer that is a key component of the semi-transparent exoskeletons of arthropods from insects to lobsters, and in the cell walls of fungi.
Some researchers believe natural chitin helps protect arthropods from bacterial infection, important because they lack a conventional immune system. The soluble chitosan carries a positive charge that attracts the negatively charged membranes of bacteria, stopping them from multiplying and in some cases killing them. The charge also initiates clotting of red blood cells.
Baker's experiment will monitor the behavior of human monocytes, a type of white blood cell that rapidly responds to wounds and infections.
Three sets of monocyte samples will fly on the shuttle – one mixed with fragments of bacterial cell walls known to trigger immune reactions, one mixed with chitosan alone, and a third mixed with both chitosan and bacterial fragments. Microarrays will monitor activity of the monocytes, including the genes activated, proteins produced, and short chains of RNA that mediate gene activity.
By comparing the space cultures with identical samples from the ground, Baker and her colleagues at California-based BioSTAR West hope to learn how the immune system turns on and off in both environments.
Their key goal is to see if chitosan can stop the bacterial threat well enough to block the immune system's normal inflammatory response, which causes scarring and other harmful effects.

Life after death for empty shells: Crustacean fisheries create a mountain of waste shells, made of a strong natural polymer, chitin. Now chemists are helping to put this waste to some surprising uses

Chitin is the main structural component of the shells of crustaceans, molluscs and insects. It also makes up parts of the jaws and body spines of certain worms, and is found in the cell walls of fungi and in some algae. Henri Bracannot was the first to describe chitin - he called it fungine - as long ago as 1821. We now know that it is a natural polymer that strongly resembles cellulose, the main component of plant cell walls. Chitin is almost as common as cellulose - an estimated billion tonnes are synthesised every year - and this ubiquity holds a clue to some of its potential uses.
At first sight, however, chitin does not look at all promising. Chemically, it is a fairly dull molecule. Like cellulose, it can be broken down by enzymes, but only slowly, and it will not dissolve in most ordinary solvents like water or alcohol. It is usually bound to porteins to form large, complex molecules and its purity varies enormously. Even chitin from the same animal varies in the length of its molecular chain, its cyrstalinity, and in the number of acetyl (CH3C)O groups hanging off the chain.
But in 1959, a chemist called Rouget found that heating chitin with a very concentrated sodium hydroxide converts it to a related and much more useful chemical, called chitosan. This reaction removes some of the acetyl groups from the molecular chain, leaving behind complete amino (NH2) groups (see Figure). Increasing the temperature or the strength of the sodium hydroxide solution removes more acetyl groups. In this way chemists can produce a range of chitosan molecules with different properties and applications. Unlike chitin, chitosan dissolves easily in acidic solvents like acetic acid.
Chitosan's versatility depends almost entirely on its amino (NH2) groups. When dissolved in acids, these groups add proton, becoming (NH3)+ and giving chitosan a positive electrical charge overall. This makes the molecule extremely effective for removing negatively charged particles that are dissolved or suspended in water, such as lignosulphates and natural tannins. Chitsan form ionic, or sometimes hydrogen bonds with these molecules, desotabilising the suspension so that they precipitate out as insoluable solids.
One of the earliest uses of chitin was to purify waste water from the processing of shellfish. Processing plants produce contaminated water as well as solid waste, such as shells and viscera. Crustacean fisheries are very wasteful - up to 85 per cent by weight of each animal is thrown away, which amounts to over 3 million tonnes of solid waste every year. Some fisheries already use chitin derived from the solid waste to purify their own waste water. A study of one crawfish processing plant in Louisiana in 1989 showed that chitosan derived from the waste could be used to remove 97 per cent of the solids suspended in waste water this way.
Now some companies are promoting chitin for the clarification and purification of other types of contaimined water. Chitin and chitosan are also good chelators. This means they can bind at several points, rather like the grip of a claw, to metal atoms in solution, especially heavy metals such as mercury, lead and uranium, although no one knows quite how. This useful property could be exploited as the basis of a method for treating waste water that is toxic or radioactive. Japanese firms such a Kurita Industries sell chitosan as a flocculant. So does the Norwegian company Protan, which recommends it for the clarification of swimming pools and spas as its flocculates microbes and removes metals.
Waste-water treatment is only one of many suggested and proven uses for chitin and chitosan. Of these, cosmestics is one of the longest established. Chitin was first used in cosmetics in 1969; more recently, Japanese and German companies have been developing chitosan salts - soluble in water, and formed simply by treating chitosan with acid - for use is cosmetics for skin and hair. The German cosmetics giant Wella has been researching chitosan as hair treatment for 10 years. It has experimented with the film-forming properties of chitosan in hair sprays and nail varnishes and uses its thickening effects in creams and conditioners. In Japan, at least five companies manufacture chitin and chitosan, mainly from crab shells.
Chito-Bios of Ancona in Italy sell N-carboxybutyl chitosan, under the trade name EvalsanR, for shampoos, bath foams, liquid soaps, toothpaste, personal-hygiene detergent and face creams. The company uses this derivative of chitin as a replacement for hyaluronic acid, a common component of creams and lotions. It emphasises that chitosan is 'more than a comestic ingredient' and could be useful for dressing wounds, for surgery and dentistry.
But perhaps the greatest potential application is paper manufacture. Adding only 1 per cent by weight of chitin to pulp increases the strength of the paper, speeds up the rate at which water drains from the pulp and increases the quantity of fibres retained when making sheets of paper. So manufacturers can use cheaper, weaker fibres, without reducing quality, while saving up to 90 per cent of the energy they use to beat the pulp. Chitin also makes the paper easier to print on.
Paper that incorporates chitin has greatly improved wet strength - an advantage for diposable nappies, shopping bags and paper towels. But these benefits must be offset against the problems of supply. The current world production of chitin from all sources would be overwhelmed by an industry which in 1986 produced 172 million tonnes of newsprint. Any move towards the general use of chitin in paper manufacture would require a huge increase in chitin production. Where would it come from?
Maintaining fisheries of shellfish or molluscs just to harvest their chitin is unlikely to be economic, as they only contain around 1 per cent chitin by weight. This leaves two possible sources of chitin: shellfish waste and fungal fermentation. The pharmaceutical industries of most countries already exploit molecules, including vitamin C and penicillin. The process also produces large quantities of chitinous waste - estimates are difficult to find, but in 1977, one researcher gave a figure of 790,000 tonnes. Unlike shellfish waste, this source of chitin is predictable - a set input will produce a set output - and its quality can be controlled.
Several countries, including the US, Japan, Norway, Italy and India, already have chitin/chitosan plants based on shellfish waste as their source. The little they produce is used by the pharmaceutical industry and in the treatment of waste waters. There are no reliable data for how much chitin should in theory be available from crustacean fisheries, but according to the FAO's latest figures, in 1987 the world crustacean harvest was 3.69 million tonnes. Assuming chitin forms 1 per cent of the wet weight of a crustacean, on average, we are squandering about 36,700 tonnes of chitin each year as waste from the processing of shrimps, prawns, lobsters and crabs. The main problem is that it would be unecomomic to collect the waste from many small processing plants, so this source can only be tapped where large quantities of crustaceans are being handled.
The largest potential source of animal chitin is the zooplankton that inhabit the upper layers of the sea. But only one crustacean which could be loosely considered a member of the zooplankton is currently being harvested to any significant degree. This is the Antarctic krill. In 1989/90, fishing fleets caught 375,000 tonnes, making it the largest crustacean fishery in the world ('Who's counting on krill?', New Scientist, 11 November 1989). The krill fishery is only marginally economic. Most of the catch is either processed for its tail meat, which is destined for human consumption, or is used whole for aquaculture.
Peeling krill is no easy task and leaves 85 per cent by weight as waste. Of this waste, 85 per cent is recoverable protein. Almost a quarter of the deproteinised waste is chitin, compared wiht 3.2 per cent in the whole animal. About 90 per cent of this chitin can be recovered by conventional extraction techniques. This is half as efficient again as from crab chitin, although the figure would not be so high on board a trawler.
The fishery will probably expand from its current levels and the total krill stock in the southern ocean is now thought to be between about 100 and 400 million tonnes. Several millions tonnes of this could be harvested annually. Such a catch would dominate the total world curstacean catch of about 4 million tonnes and would be a major potential source of chitin. Other sources include squid, whose pens are 40 per cent chitin and largely free of minerals and bivalve molluscs, whose shells oftain contain a high proportion of minerals. (Minerals add to the weight of material and therefore the cost of processing.) Insects have chitin but it is quinone tanned, which makes it difficult to extract, and there is no consistent source.
So it seems that the major source of chitin in the future will probably be biotechnology rather than seafood waste. The infant chitin/chitosan industry will probably develop by using cheap supplies of waste materials, but if demand increased sufficiently, manufacturers could develop genetically engineered microorganisms to produce these useful molecules. Cultured strains of microorganisms will be able to produce chitin with desired properties under controlled conditions and in fixed quantities. This would sever the link between chitin production and the widely fluctuating market for protein. Chitin is easily extracted from fungal hyphae and some species even produce up to 14 per cent by weight of chitosan. Culturing chitosan-producing strains would eliminate the deacetylation step that converts chitin to chitosan. Although this step is fairly simple, it makes chitosan nearly twice as expensive to product as chitin.
Certain algae produce pure chitin in the form of extracellular fibres which can be between 10 and 15 per cent of the dry weight of the cells and can be readily separated from the non-chitinous structures with a yield of 80 per cent. But these algae grow only slowly under normal conditions. Researchers hope that advances in biotechnology will give them fast-growing strains that retain large amounts of chitin.
Chitin and its derivatives are shaping up to be as versatile as plastics. Unfortunately, although chitin and its derivatives can do many things well, there are few functions that they alone can carry out. Chitin-based products usually have to compete with those produced by established biochemical technologies. On the other hand, a 'natural' material that uses up waste, is biodegradable and does not damage the environment may have a bright future.
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Industry shells out for chitin
Many chemical, medical and pharmaceutical companies are now researching and in some cases developing and patenting chitin-based products. Protan, a Norwegian company, has been producing and selling chitin and chitosan from shellfish waste since 1984. It lists 13 broad areas for its products, from 'personal care' to detoxification of industrial waste.
Other applications include treatment of sewage, dairy waste, paper mill effluent, food-factory waste, liquid radioactive waste and purfication of drinking water. In Japan about 500 tonnes of chitin are used every year as a water purifier, and the US Environmental Protection Agency rates chitosan as acceptable for the purfication of drinking water.
Using chitosan to remove suspended solids from food-processing wastes, such as cheese whey, has an additional benefit. As well as purified effluent, the method yields coagulated by-products rich in proteins which can be added to feed for domestic animals. This seems to make the feed more digestible.
Chitin and its derivatives also have some very useful properties in the medical field. Between 1968 and 1975 researchers working for the American pharmaceuticals company Lescarden of Goshen, New York, filed five patents for the use of chitin and chitosan to accelerate wound healing. They found the chitin mats, fibres, sponges, sutures and films were much better than standard cartilage-based ones. The pharmaceuticals company Katakurachikkarin based in Hokkaido makes an artifical skin - a chitosan-collagen composite - that appears to enhance recovery from surgical wounds or burns. In 1983, doctors working for the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Omaha discovered that chitosan could also speed up blood clotting and used it to reduce the loss of blood following blood vessel grafts.
Chitosan can be produced in numerous forms - powder, paste, solution, film, fibre or spray - giving manufacturers huge scope for incorporating it into bandages, dressings, salves, sutures or disposable contact lenses. The body does not seem to reject these and they break down slowly to harmless carbohydrates, carbon dioxide and water. Because chitosan is absorbed completely in the body, it is an ideal carrier for drugs that must be released slowly. After tests on rats in 1978, some Japanese researchers claimed that chitosan reduces serum cholestrol. In Japan you can now buy biscuits and noodles sold for the alleged benefits of the chitin they contain.
The food industry is developing ways of exploiting the emulsifying properties of chitosan to make mayonnaise and peanut butter. Chitosan could eventually find its way into an area where non-toxic, high strength films are required, form sausage casings to oven wraps and food packaging.
Some researchers even think these chemicals will be the basis of a biodegradable plastic. Technics, the hi-fi manufacturer, of Schizuoka in Japan has even made the vibrators of flat-panel speakers from chitosan, an idea which is supposedly based on the acoustic properties of crickets' wings.