MADISON, Wis., June 23 /PRNewswire/ — Anti-fouling medical device coatings developed by Nerites Corporation have received several recent awards recognizing innovation in medical technology. Collaborators at the University of Western Ontario and the Lawson Health Research Institute tested urinary stents coated with Nerites’ polymers, and demonstrated a significant reduction in animal infection levels.
Unlike active antibiotic-releasing coatings, which cannot protect against resistant bacterial strains, the Nerites technology passively prevents bacteria from attaching to the medical device and forming an infectious biofilm. In this way, the passive coating may have both greater efficacy and fewer side effects than active coatings. Recognition for this work includes:
— First place in the New Investigator Competition at the 2008 Society for Infection and Inflammation in Urology Annual Meeting
— Top Research Poster at the 61st Annual Meeting of The Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand
— First place in the Basic Science Division at the 2007 Endourological Society Fellowship Essay Competition
— Publication in the Journal of Endourology in June, 2008
The research was led by Peter Cadieux and Hassan Razvi, of the University of Western Ontario, and Raymond Ko, of the University of Sydney. “Urinary conditioning films that form on medical devices are notorious for covering up the effects of existing coatings, augmenting bacterial attachment and providing nutrients to the microbes,” stated Cadieux. “By preventing the attachment of both bacteria and urine, the Nerites’ coatings demonstrate great promise for preventing biofilm formation and related infections.”
“We’re really pleased to have our coatings technology validated by our academic partners and their peers in medical research,” stated CEO Tom Mozer, “we hope that corporate partners will also be interested in bringing this innovation to the millions of patients who may suffer from device-related infections.”
About Nerites: Nerites Corporation develops fully-synthetic, water-resistant adhesives, sealants, and coatings for internal medical use. The hydrogel technology can be used to close internal tears or incisions, to seal tissues and prevent leakage and infection, and to affix synthetic or biologic medical devices. Properties can be “tuned” to fit each application. The technology was described with a cover article in the journal Nature (July, 2007) and was labeled “one of the top 100 scientific developments of 2007” by Discover Magazine. (http://www.nerites.com/)
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:
Source: Nerites Corporation
CONTACT: Jediah White, Business Development of Nerites Corporation,
+1-847-727-1747, jwhite@nerites.com
Web site: http://www.nerites.com/
