ALACHUA, FL – Sharklet Technologies has been awarded a $168,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) / National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to develop a urinary catheter with the Sharklet micro-pattern that inhibits bacteria growth.
The grant will enable Sharklet Technologies to validate the effectiveness of a Sharklet-patterned catheter for inhibiting bacterial biofilm development of E. coli, a bacterial species commonly associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).
Sharklet Technologies will prove feasibility of fabricating catheter-like prototypes that exhibit Sharklet-patterned surfaces.
Upon successful conclusion of Phase I, a follow-on Phase II project will be designed to develop manufacturing methods for tube prototypes and demonstrate efficacy within an in vivo model.
The company expects to complete both phases by mid-2011.
CAUTIs account for about 40 percent of infections in hospitals and nursing homes. About 95 percent of urinary tract infections are associated with urinary catheters.
These infections account for an estimated $400 million annually in additional costs to patients and the healthcare system.
Current methods for preventing bacterial UTIs introduce antimicrobial agents to reduce concentrations of bacteria associated with biofilm formation. The continued use of these antimicrobial agents leads to bacterial resistance patterns that make catheter infections more difficult to treat.
“Sharklet represents a breakthrough in bacterial control and the culmination of years of work in determining how surface topography can impact microorganism growth,” said Joe Bagan, chief executive officer of Sharklet Technologies.
“Our primary objective is to offer healthcare providers a new line of defense in infection control to significantly improve patient care and reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infections while lowering overall costs.”
Previously on TechJournal South:
Sharkskin patterned surface could fight hospital infections
http://techjournalsouth.com/news/article.html?item_id=5936
Online: www.sharklet.com
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