A “serial entrepreneur” took one look at barnicles on a boat, and came up with his next winning business idea. Now, he’s studied and duplicated this process to make a powerful new bio-adhesive:
Messersmith invented “a synthetic version of the molecule secreted by marine mussels that allows them to attach (to things) under water in salt water,” said Pete Bianco, Nerites vice president of business development. Nerites is turning it into commercial products, Medhesive and SurPhys.
Medhesive could be used instead of sutures after surgery on an internal organ, such as the heart, kidney or liver, Bianco said. “It’s highly sought- after technology to help stop bleeding and promote faster healing,” he said.
Mozer said the sealant, in a different form, could also be used as a glue to hold together the pieces of a broken bone, “as opposed to a pin or plate or even a splint.”
We’ll believe it when there’s more data, but intuitively, we like the power of tenacious sea creatures over cat gut sutures or fibrin glue.
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