SI signs internal body adhesives agreement
WOUNDCARE firm Advanced Medical Solutions has signed a development and supply agreement with Yorkshire group Surgical Innovations for internal body adhesives.
Under the agreement, Leeds-based surgical product designer and manufacturer Surgical Innovations will develop and retain the intellectual property rights for a unique applicator, which will deliver accurately, individual drops of adhesive or sealant internally within the body, accessed via a minimally invasive surgical port site.
In return for the exclusive rights to this applicator, AMS has agreed to purchase all of its requirements for the approved new applicator from Surgical Innovations for a period of ten years.
Winsford-based AMS said the development of the internal applicator is “a key step” in extending its expertise in adhesives and sealants from purely topical applications to also addressing clinical needs inside the body.
The first target internal application would be the hernia mesh fixation market which currently uses sutures, staples and tacks. The company hopes a product will be ready to launch in 2013.
Graham Bowland, chief executive of Surgical Innovations, said: “Our agreement with AMS affirms SI’s reputation in delivering leading design solutions to OEM customers. The applicator device for AMS is a natural extension to our existing minimally invasive surgical product portfolio and we have already commenced on the design work on a fully disposable device.
“As part of the agreement SI will retain the full intellectual property rights to the applicator device and will also manufacture it on behalf of AMS.”
Chris Meredith, chief executive of AMS, said: “This agreement combines our formulation and regulatory expertise with Surgical Innovations’ applicator design and manufacturing expertise to introduce a new product to a global market for internal sealants that is now in excess of US$600 million.
“As we have previously indicated, an integral part of our tissue sealant and adhesives R&D is focused on moving our product range more towards the Operating Room, including internal applications. In this regard, we are optimistic that our partnership with Surgical Innovations will give us a market leading product, targeting the hernia mesh fixation market.”
