Alliqua is a Langhorne, PA medical technology company that uses its proprietary hydrogel platform to develop wound care and drug delivery solutions. The company prides itself in having a broad range of wound care products that are not only different from competing products available on the market, but also in providing multiple options to clinicians to generate optimal wound healing outcomes with minimal risk of infections. Medgadget had the opportunity to interview David Johnson, CEO of Alliqua to learn about the latest products offered by the company and to get a better understanding of the next generation of wound care tools.
Gaurav Krishnamurthy, Medgadget: What are the primary products that Alliqua Biomedical offers?
David Johnson: Our primary products are designed to address a spectrum of issues faced by wound care clinicians when treating their patients. Our main products are: Hydress®, a hydrogel dressing for dry to low-exuding wounds that provides a moist wound environment ideal for healing; Silverseal®, a silver hydrogel dressing for infected wounds or wounds that are at risk of infection that provides the moist wound healing benefits of hydrogel; sorbion sachet S and sana gentle, dressings that offer cost-effective management of wounds that are draining thanks to their outstanding absorption and retention properties, and that provide moisture balance for optimum wound management for wound bed preparation and granulation. Finally, we will be launching Biovance®, an amniotic membrane wound covering, as our first entry into the biologics area of wound care.
We will continue to expand our portfolio to bring a broad range of solutions to clinicians treating wounds across the spectrum of health care.
Medgadget: Could you tell me a little more about SilverSeal and its key benefits?
David Johnson: Silverseal® hydrogel dressings provide a moist wound environment, but also offer the antimicrobial benefits of ionic silver to the wound. This combination is well suited for wounds that are infected or at risk of infection to reduce bioburden and thereby improve patient outcomes.
In a recent study, Silverseal® dressings have been shown to reduce the incidence of surgical site complications including infection, as well as showing a reduction in scar length in foot and ankle surgical sites. This is an important health care benefit for patients and cost-effective for providers.
Medgadget: How is Alliqua’s hydrogel technology superior to competing hydrogels?
David Johnson: Our hydrogels have a water content of approximately 93 percent. Most hydrogels have water content of 20 to 60 percent and are crosslinked using chemicals. Our hydrogels are electron beam crosslinked, allowing for the higher water content and no additional chemicals. The high water content is beneficial in providing a moist wound healing environment for dry and low-draining wounds, and the use of less chemicals means a lower risk of irritation for the patient.
Medgadget: Could you tell me a little bit about Alliqua’s drug delivery technologies?
David Johnson: Alliqua’s manufacturing facility in Langhorne, PA produces a hydrogel technology that can be utilized for drug delivery. The facility produces hydrogels that can be used as a transdermal patch technology to transport several types of therapeutic agents into the bloodstream. Currently, Alliqua is developing a Lidocaine patch for use in pain relief. We have conducted some preclinical trials that established the patch’s pharmacokinetic profile and also a proof of principle. Alliqua is currently exploring different therapeutic options for the hydrogel patch (drug delivery mechanism) as well as determining the best steps forward with the Lidocaine patch.
Medgadget: What does the next generation of wound care products look like?
David Johnson: The technologies of the future will remain focused on managing drainage and infection, while continuing to stimulate the granulation process of chronic and acute wounds. We clearly believe that regenerative medicine will play a larger role going forward as evidenced by our recent licensing agreement with Celgene. In addition, innovative and economic-based solutions that have strong evidence-based data will be critical. A good example of this is the sorbion sachet S absorbent dressing that can be an alternative to negative pressure wound therapy, in some cases at a tenth of the cost. This is good for the patient and good for the health care system.
Company page: Alliqua Biomedical…