TRANSFORM THE FIELD OF CATHETERS, IMPLANTS, AND STENTS INTERVENTION
Within a short time, catheters, stents and implants became the default interventional strategy, and drug-eluting coatings have revolutionised treatments. Representing a new and effective approach to local drug delivery, they can solve a variety of problems. However, unsustainable and uncontrolled drug release is a challenge. Using our technology, drugs can be released in a controlled manner, significantly improving therapeutic effectiveness.
We are looking for a partnership with medical device producers to co-develop and co-promote our material.
WE INTRODUCE CONTROLLED-RELEASE DRUG-ELUTING COATINGS
We introduce the world’s first drug-eluting coatings with a controlled drug release function for catheters, stents, and implants. The existing coatings lack control over drug release. Small drug molecules are released too fast, requiring higher doses of medication to maintain the required therapeutic dosage. As a result, it increases the risks of side effects and reduces treatment effectiveness.
Our microcontainer film technology solves this problem. We place drugs inside programmable microcontainers and ensure their controlled release, greatly improving treatment effectiveness.
Our material is a polymer film made with microcontainers, which look like air bubbles in Bubble Wrap, only at the micro- and nanometre scale.
Microcontainers film
Microcontainers before and after opening
CONTROLLED DRUG RELEASE FUNCTION
We can programme our microcontainer film to achieve the controlled release of encapsulated drugs on demand, ensuring local, accurate and effective drug dosage:
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PROLONGED DRUG RELEASE
Constant and prolonged drug release, up to several months
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SLOW/FAST DRUG RELEASE
Drugs can be released slowly or immediately
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TIMED DRUG RELEASE
Drugs are released at a specific time
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TRIGGERED DRUG RELEASE
Drug release can be triggered by ultrasound, light, pH, or temperature
Ultrasound-triggered drug release
Whenever needed, the drug is released from the microcontainer film by a low-intensity ultrasound.
Video demonstration
BIOCOMPATIBLE AND BIODEGRADABLE FDA-APPROVED POLYMERS
Our material is made from FDA-approved polymers – biocompatible and biodegradable synthetic polymers (PLA, PCL, PLGA, etc.) or natural polymers (albumin, chitosan, alginate, agar-agar, gelatin, etc.). The selection of polymers will depend on the specific requirements, taking into consideration the properties of active substances and the required release mechanism.
WIDE CHOICE OF DRUGS
Microcontainers can be filled with almost any drug regardless of molecular weight and solubility.
HIGH LOADING CAPACITY
Microcontainers’ shape, size and thickness are adjustable to meet the required properties.
FLEXIBLE SHAPE, SIZE AND THICKNESS
Our material is made from FDA-approved polymers – biocompatible and biodegradable synthetic polymers (PLA, PCL, PLGA, etc.) or natural polymers (albumin, chitosan, alginate, agar-agar, gelatin, etc.). The selection of polymers will depend on the specific requirements, taking into consideration the properties of active substances and the required release mechanism.
LOW-COST SOLUTION
The production costs of our material are mainly determined by the price of raw materials (polymers, encapsulated active substances). They represent a fraction of the final price of the product.
Microcontainer film coatings made of PCL, PLA and PLGA
(a-c) Coatings made of (a) PCL (polycaprolactone), (b) PLA (polylactic acid), and (c) PLGA (Poly-D, L-lactide-co-glycolide).
(d) Microcontainer film structure (left) and a single microcontainer filled with a substance (methylprednisolone sodium succinate) (right)
3D-image of microcontainer film coatings
Confocal images of PCL, PLA, and PLGA microcontainer film coatings filled with fluorescence (FITC-dextran)
Stents coated with microcontainer film
a) Scanning electron microscopy images of the stents coated with microcontainer film made of PCL, PLA, and PLGA
b) Stent coated with microcontainer film
Microcontainers’ shape, size and thickness can vary
PILOT CLINICAL TRIALS
COATINGS FOR URETHRAL CATHETERS
Ultrasound-triggered release of anti-inflammatory drugs (prednisolone)
COATINGS FOR BILIARY AND PANCREATIC STENTS
Biliary stent coated with our microcontainer film with anti-inflammatory drugs (prednisolone)
COATINGS FOR BONE IMPLANTS
Bone implant coated our microcontainer film with cefazolin for the prevention of bacterial infection
COATINGS FOR HERNIA MESHES
Hernia meshes for prolonged drug delivery (rebamipide) to prevent the risk of post-surgery implant-associated infections and the damaging effects of NSAIDs
COATINGS FOR VENTRICULAR DRAINAGE AND CRANIAL MESHES
External ventricular drainage (EVD) and cranial meshes for the prolonged release of antibiotics (vancomycin and meropenem) to prevent implant-associated bacterial infection after brain surgery
References:
“Patterned Drug-Eluting Coatings for Tracheal Stents Based on PLA, PLGA, and PCL for the Granulation Formation Reduction: In Vivo Studies” 2021, Pharmaceutics
“Microchamber arrays made of biodegradable polymers for enzymatic release of small hydrophilic cargos” 2020, Soft Matter
“Polylactic acid-based patterned matrixes for site-specific delivery of neuropeptides on-demand: functional NGF effects on human neuronal cells” 2020, Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology
“Stimuli-Responsive Microarray Films for Real-Time Sensing of Surrounding Media, Temperature, and Solution Properties via Diffraction Patterns” 2020, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
“Free-standing microchamber arrays as a biodegradable drug depot system for implant coatings” 2019, European Polymer Journal
“The effect of a controlled release of Epinephrine hydrochloride from PLGA microchamber array: in vivo studies” 2018, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
“Polyelectrolyte multilayer microchamber-arrays for in-situ cargo release: Low frequency vs. medical frequency range ultrasound” 2018, Colloids and Surfaces A
“In-situ NIR-laser mediated bioactive substance delivery to single cell for EGFP expression based on biocompatible microchamber-arrays” 2018, Journal of Controlled Release
“Polylactic acid sealed polyelectrolyte multilayer microchambers for entrapment of salts and small hydrophilic molecules precipitates” 2017, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
“Polylactic acid nano-and microchamber arrays for encapsulation of small hydrophilic molecules featuring drug release via high intensity focused ultrasound” 2017, Nanoscale
“Individually Addressable Patterned Multilayer Microchambers for Site‐Specific Release‐On‐Demand” 2013, Macromolecular rapid communications
Overall, our team has over 400 scientific publications on patterned microcontainer films and microencapsulation technologies.
PARTNER WITH US
We are looking for partnerships with medical device producers to co-develop and co-promote our material. We can improve the performance of your drug-eluting coatings and medical devices, and bring treatment effectiveness to the next level.