A Medical Device Daily

CardioTech International (Wilmington, Massachusetts), a developer of advanced materials and medical devices for the treatment of cardiovascular and other diseases, reported that it has filed for a U.S. patent on its antimicrobial formulation of ChronoFlex medical grade polymer and its method of fabrication. These materials are designed to provide a new method for the medical device industry to better control foreign body-derived infections without the use of antibiotic drugs. Cardiotech's antimicrobials can be used in devices as a polymer or a coating.

"With this patent filing, we have introduced a new antimicrobial family of ChronoFlex polymers," said Andrew Reed, PhD, CardioTech's VP of Science & Technology. "Current technology in the marketplace uses antibiotic drugs, which often become depleted in the body and can form antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Moreover, the antimicrobial component of these polymers has been designed to be non-leaching as a result of the polymerization process. Remaining as a component of the polymer is a vital factor for preventing infection."

"Medical device infections cause 70,000 US deaths annually, costing our hospitals an estimated $9 billion," added company president/CEO Michael Adams.

CardioTech makes products and materials for the treatment of cardiovascular, orthopedic, oncology, urology and other diseases.