New Products/Industry News

Nonwoven silver antimicrobial dressing is absorbent, minimizes pain

  Mölnlycke Health Care (Norcross, Ga) introduces Melgisorb® Ag — a new antimicrobial ionic silver dressing. The dressing is a nonwoven pad composed of alginate, CMC fibers, and ionic silver. The ionic silver provides sustained silver release and antibacterial effect up to 4 days. The alginate and CMC fibers limit maceration to the wound because of low lateral wicking. The dressing creates a hydrophilic gel in contact with wound exudate for a moist environment that facilitates wound healing. Damage of newly formed tissue is reduced and pain is minimized at dressing changes because the gel does not adhere to the wound.   The dressing can be used for patients with postoperative surgical wounds, leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers, graft and donor sites, and trauma wounds. Laboratory tests show it absorbs up to 45% more than the market leading silver hydrofiber dressing. The dressing is designed specifically for deep wounds and has a wet strength that allows for removal in one piece.   For more information, visit www.molnlycke.com.

Negative pressure wound therapy remains available for Medicare patients at home

  Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI, San Antonio, Tex) announced that V.A.C.® Therapy will remain available for Medicare patients in the home as a result of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, enacted into law by Congress on July 15, 2008. This Act delays and significantly modifies the Competitive Bidding Program of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Key provisions of the Act affecting KCI include:
    • Exemption of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) from the first round of Competitive Bidding
    • Termination of all durable medical equipment supplier contracts previously awarded by CMS in the first round of Competitive Bidding
    • Delay of implementation of the first round of Competitive Bidding until January 2010
    • Delay of implementation of the second round of Competitive Bidding until January 2011  
   • Imposed reduction of NPWT pricing by 9.5% for Medicare Part B placements, effective January 2009.

  The law effectively delays competitive bidding for NPWT for at least 30 months until January 2011. As a result of this delay, V.A.C.® Therapy is immediately available to all Medicare Part B patients in all of the first round competitive bidding areas (CBAs).

  For more information, visit www.KCI1.com.

Newly designed fecal management system focuses on ease of use

  ConvaTec (Princeton, NJ) introduces the newly improved Flexi-Seal® Fecal Management System, redesigned for greater customer ease of use. The system is a temporary containment device, indicated for bedridden or immobilized incontinent patients with liquid or semi-liquid stool.

  Designed to safely contain and divert fecal matter, the system protects patients’ wounds from fecal contamination and reduces both risk of skin breakdown and spread of infection. The new < product packaging consists of a recyclable, re-closable, molded plastic pack that allows easy storage and is now 25% smaller. The new blue irrigation port is used for immediate identification as the new re-labeled syringe has been precisely labeled to 45 mL. New user-friendly pocket carrying size package inserts also are smaller.

  For more information, call (800) 422-8811.

Wound care portfolio increased

  Mölnlycke Health Care (Norcross, Ga) announces the addition of new products to its current line of advanced wound care products. The company previously manufactured the Lyofoam® Foam Dressings, Setopress™ High Compression Bandages, and the Tubigrip™ family of Compression Bandages for distribution by ConvaTec (Princeton, NJ) in the United States and has recently added these products to its current wound care product assortment.

  For more information, visit www.molnlycke.com.

Science and research development companies enter licensing agreement

  3M Health Care (St. Paul, Minn) and Greystone Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Fort Myers, Fla) entered into an exclusive, worldwide license agreement for wound care products using Greystone’s patented PHI technology, a proprietary formulation that aids in the management of hard-to-heal wounds.

  This new agreement broadens 3M Health Care’s rights to the US and most major countries in the world, starting with the introduction of 3M Tegaderm™ Matrix Dressing with PHI technology to the US market. 3M Health Care will be able to extend the PHI technology platform to other wound care products.   For more information, visit www.3m.com or www.greystonepharmaceuticals.com.

Product reimbursement marks commercialization milestone

  Derma Sciences Inc. (Princeton, NJ) secured reimbursement codes for three recently released product formulations of its MEDIHONEY™ dressing.

  These new formulations will allow customers to use the products on a greater variety of wound types. The new codes will allow applicable customers to bill for all the new dressing formulations. Customers will include Medicare’s Part B Program, private insurance plans, and the various Medicaid programs. Coverage within these programs will allow the company to gain entrance into the long-term care and home health markets, a significant share of the overall wound care dressings market.

  For more information, visit www.dermasciences.com.

$30 million financing to fund company’s commercialization efforts

  Celleration Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn) successfully completed its Series D financing, raising $30 million. Venture Investors co-led the round with Heron Capital and Clarian Health Ventures. Other participants in this round included existing investors AAVIN Equity Partners, Affinity Ventures, Baird Venture Partners, CID Equity Capital, New Science Ventures, Tyco Sigma Limited, and Upper Lake Growth Capital.

  New investors included Clarian Health Ventures, Heron Capital, and HMA Capital. JMP Securities served as the placement agent for the financing. Celleration will use proceeds from this financing round to expand and accelerate its sales and marketing efforts to make the MIST Therapy System an integral part of the standard of care for the treatment of chronic and hard-to-heal wounds

.   For more information, visit www.celleration.com.

Wound care companies enter into product agreement

  Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (San Antonio, Tex) entered into an agreement with 3M Health Care (St. Paul, Minn) for the supply of 3M Tegaderm™ brand transparent film dressings for inclusion in KCI kits with KCI’s V.A.C.® Therapy System in the treatment of complex, hard-to-heal wounds. The newly designed Tegaderm dressing, configured exclusively for use with V.A.C. Therapy, will provide a skin-friendly interface that conforms to the body and flexes with skin for greater patient comfort. Healthcare professionals will find the Tegaderm dressing easier to apply.

  The dressing will be packaged with a newly designed and configured GranuFoam® dressing, which will enhance the performance and reliability of V.A.C. Therapy. The first V.A.C. Therapy dressings featuring the Tegaderm brand transparent film dressings are expected to be available the fourth quarter of 2008.   For more information, visit www.KCI1.com.

Diabetic foot ulcer clinical study awarded at national meeting

  Soluble Systems, LLC (Newport News, Virginia) announced that a presentation of its clinical study on the treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers using TheraGauze™ with and without Regranex® was awarded first place for the “Outstanding Poster Abstract” at the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Annual Scientific Meeting, which was held July 23–July 26, 2008.

  The product is a sterile polymer wound care dressing that regulates moisture differentially across the wound site. The precise moisture regulation is achieved by the proprietary Skin Moisture Rebalancing Technology (SMRT) found within the gauze.

  For more information, visit www.solublesystems.com or www.apma.org.