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Madison-based Nerites receives grant to develop hernia 'glue'
A Madison-based medical device company has
been awarded a grant to develop a product to better repair
hernias.
Nerites Corp., a developer of synthetic adhesives, sealants and coatings for internal medical use, at 525 Science Drive in University Research Park, has been awarded a Phase I SBIR Grant to develop surgical "glue" that will be used to affix hernia reinforcement patches and replace sutures and staples.
Surgeons in the United States repair nearly 1 million hernias annually when intestines bulge through the abdominal wall. To prevent re-occurrence, surgeons reinforce the inside of the wall by using a "patch" that can be either sewn or stapled into place.
Unfortunately, these methods of fixation have undesirable consequences. Sutures require extended surgical times and make laparoscopy more difficult. Staples lead to postoperative pain and tissue encapsulation for many patients.
If a glue is strong enough to hold patches in place, it can yield faster surgeries with fewer patient complications.
The Nerites hernia glue is based on the company's synthetic adhesive technology.
"Nerites was inspired by marine mussels and the remarkable substance they secrete to bond to underwater surfaces," said CEO Thomas Mozer. "Our scientists mimic these proteins by building synthetic, adhesive polymers. The characteristics of our adhesives can be altered to fit many different medical indications without sacrificing strength or biocompatibility. We're excited to begin developing products for hernia repair, and expect that these will be valuable additions to our portfolio of adhesives projects."
The technology was described with a cover article in the journal Nature (July, 2007) and was labeled "one of the top 100 scientific developments of 2007" by Discover Magazine.
