The agreement between Tyber Medical and a prestigious biomaterial research institution also includes refining the manufacturing process, as well as ongoing funding for additional scientific studies.
Infection control is a critical concern in healthcare. Nowhere is that more evident than with surgical implants, where the body’s own defense mechanism will coat an implant with a "Biofilm" layer.
Biofilm is known to resist antibiotic therapy, the primary treatment option in infection control. As a result, the cost impact of Biofilm is significant. In fact, hospital associated infections caused from Biofilm on medical devices is estimated to cost the US healthcare system $35.7 – $45 Billion annually.
Recent information released by the CDC shows that surgical site infection rates accounted for 31% of all healthcare associated infections among hospitalized patients. In part, this is due to the widespread production, use and misuse of antibiotics, which have contributed to the next generation of drug resistant infectious organisms, commonly called "Superbugs".
Called BioTy Antimicrobial Surface Coating, the technology exhibits unique surface characteristics on a nanoscale that have the potential to significantly reduce infections. Plus, the BioTy process can be applied to a variety of implant materials, including titanium, stainless steel, cobalt chrome and PEEK.
"Exciting new research suggests that implant nanoscale features alone, without using pharmaceutical agents, can inhibit bacteria and virus functions to improve medical device performance," said Thomas J. Webster, Ph.D., Art Zafiropoulo Chair and Professor of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, and a new Advisory Board Member at Tyber Medical.
