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For immediate release
July 21, 2006
Park tenant, Tissue Technologies,
receives FDA product approval
Richmond Va. – Virginia BioTechnology Research Park tenant, Tissue Technologies, recently announced that its first product, a dressing used to treat chronic wounds, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
“Chronic wounds or non-healing wounds may be caused by poor circulation, complications of diabetes, pressure, improper hygiene or neglect,” commented Kel Cohen, M.D., president and CEO of Tissue Technologies. “Even with the best care, chronic wounds can become infected and result in loss of a limb or even death. It therefore becomes extremely important to have products that cater to a patient’s specific wound needs.”
Though without further research Tissue Technologies cannot market the product’s wound healing characteristics, the dressing is different from typical gauze bandages in its proposed ability to interact with proteases, enzymes that are found in chronic wounds at high concentrations.
Proteases play an important role in regulating the balance between tissue synthesis and degradation. However, in chronic wounds this regulation may be defective, resulting in substantial healing problems. Specifically, high protease levels in chronic wound fluid delays the wound healing process by degrading newly formed tissue and growth factor proteins.
With initial FDA approval granted, Tissue Technologies will now work to prove their product promotes healing by eliminating the elevated levels of protease in chronic wound fluid. According to Cohen, the company hopes to begin a small clinical trial in six to 12 months to prove this theory. In the meantime, Tissue Technologies is working with a manufacturer to produce the product and is actively seeking a distribution partner.
“Chronic wounds effect between 5 to 7 million people in the U.S. every year, costing more than $20 billion in associated medical costs,” noted Cohen. “Tissue Technologies is focused on developing effective products that can help treat the various kinds of chronic wounds.”
In addition to its protease inhibiting bandage, Tissue Technologies is developing products that prevent chronic wounds before they occur as well as a diagnostic strip that will allow nurses to determine protease levels in wound fluid with a “litmus”-type dipping strip.
Contact:
Nicky Colomb
Virginia BioTechnology Research Park
Phone: (804) 828-6884
E-mail: ncolomb@vabiotech.com
Web site: www.vabiotech.com
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