SETALUM surgical sealant, a bio-inspired surgical glue, has received CE Mark approval, clearing the path to commercialization in Europe. The technology was originally developed at MIT, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, but is now being commercialized by Gecko Biomedical, a biomedical start-up in France.
The glue is a surgical sealant, inspired by the secretions of sandcastle worms, which are a type of marine worm. The worms secrete a goo that can repel water, and this inspired the developers of the sealant to find something similar that would work in wet and dynamic environments to seal wounds in the body.
The investigators developed a polymer gel to act as a sealant. The sealant is designed to supplement conventional sutures during vascular surgery, and other potential applications include helping to seal congenital heart defects. After application to the wound or defect, the sealant is then activated using light to rapidly form a semi-solid, flexible seal over the area. The polymer formulation is biocompatible, biodegradable, and bioresorbable, and isn’t washed away or diluted by blood or other bodily fluids.
“The SETALUM sealant can be precisely and easily applied thanks to its viscosity and hydrophobicity and then activated at will to provide an instant hermetic barrier and effective hemostasis,” said Jean-Marc Alsac, a vascular surgeon at the Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou in Paris.
“We are delighted to receive the CE Mark for our first product, SETALUM Sealant, as this will allow us to bring new and innovative solutions to the market to improve patient care. As a result, we are now ramping up our manufacturing capabilities and selection of strategic partners to bring this innovation to patients,” said Christophe Bancel, Gecko Biomedical CEO.
See the story behind the glue here:
See how the glue could be used for vascular surgery here:
Via: Gecko Biomedical…
