2020 Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Awards
30 GHP / 2020 Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Awards , LipoCoat Best Medical Device Coatings Company 2020 Oneof themajor challenges facedby theglobal healthcare industry ismedical device complications, predominantly related to contaminated devices such as catheters, which lead to Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs). It has been estimated that approximately 6%of HAI cases result in death. LipoCoat has developed a bio-inspired coating technology for healthcare applications that acts as an elegant solution tomany problems encountered formedical devices. Simple, adaptable and natural, LipoCoat is on amission tomake the future of healthcare better and safer. LipoCoat, a spin-off from the University of Twente (MESA+ Nanotechnology Institute) of the Netherlands, is a biotech company that has developed a revolutionary coating technology designed to make any biomaterial surface non- thrombogenic, non-fouling and resistant to the surface-pollution of micro-organisms and proteins. Just five nanometres thick, LipoCoat coatings are derived from natural structures, without the use of any toxic compounds or pharmaceuticals to provide a sustainable and passive solution that mimics the natural cell membrane consisting of a phospholipid bilayer. In nature, this layer serves as universal interface between distinct chemical environments, and by replicating this concept, LipoCoat is able to protect medical devices from contamination. Contaminated devices are one of the leading causes of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs), which according to a GE white paper, affects about 1.7 million people in the US a year at a cost of more than $35 billion. Some estimates state that $88 billion is spent annually on treating these debilitating, often fatal infections which cause nearly 100,000 deaths in the US each year, with similar effects in the EU and beyond. The current Covid-19 pandemic is further proving how important scientific progression is, particularly in regard to infection control. The Aug20708 LipoCoat coating’s prevention of the adhesion of bacteria - and potentially viruses - to medical devices is vital in minimising risks of infection. LipoCoat has also successfully facilitated the translation of their complex natural systems to a functional coating platform that can be tailored to the different requirements of the end-user. For example, the organisation has seen a very promising reduction of 95% in bacterial adhesion on contact lenses, a LipoCoat product which will be launched in 2021. Meanwhile, LipoCoat has also begun researching coated catheters which they hope to enter into the market in a few years’ time. Contaminated catheters are one of the predominant causes of infection in hospitals worldwide leading to patient suffering and discomfort, and costing billions of euros annually across the globe. The goal to offer a patient-friendly and sustainable solution for catheter-related infections in the near future is in perfect cohesion with LipoCoat’s fundamental aim: to make healthcare better and safer. The high degree of flexibility of the coating, which has tunable surface properties and is applied through self-assembly, is being used on much more than contact lenses and catheters. LipoCoat coatings are being used for R&D tools and cell culture systems, while the technology is being further developed for cosmetic and therapeutic applications. LipoCoat has also developed a pre-commercial prototype of coating kit to be piloted in late 2020, which will be applied on drug screening devices to control surface contamination which often leads to misleading and unreliable results. The coating kit will increase the efficiency of drug screening and testing, resulting in lower costs and better results. Focusing on product- market combinations with a fast roll-out such as these coatings and contact lenses, LipoCoat is able to avoid the usual time- consuming processes of launching innovations within the healthcare and medical devices sector. LipoCoat is therefore able to focus its attention on the broad ecosystem in which it operates, working with top research groups, incubators and corporations to better understand and develop state-of-the-art technology. Investing in further growth and maturation of their technology, LipoCoat is planning their Series B funding round of € 5 million in Spring 2021, which will not only build the firm’s revenue streams and increase its development and production capacity, but will also be vital in the expansion of its international footprint as they gain access to US and Asian markets. As scientific advancements in infection control become more significant around the world, the ground-breaking work being carried out by LipoCoat is proving more and more vital. With major ambitions and innovative projects already underway for the years to come, the future is undoubtedly bright for LipoCoat. Contact: Marie Weijler Company: LipoCoat Web Address: www.lipocoat.com
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