Award Winning Coating For Vascular Access Grafts

Vascular access grafts are primarily used in patients with kidney failure to provide an access point for dialysis. Technical Director at BioInteractions, Dr Shiv Sandhu, explained that the “high incidence of major complications such as thrombosis and infection in the use of vascular access grafts impedes treatment, leading to reintervention and graft replacement.”

The company’s technology could reduce these complications. He said, “Our innovation is a combinatorial approach. It involves incorporation of a stable, nonleaching antibacterial coating to the exterior of the graft, thus preventing infection and bacterial colonisation. In addition, we incorporate a highly blood compatible coating to the graft interior through which the blood to be dialysed would flow. Such an advance in graft technology would benefit patients, clinicians and health care systems worldwide.”

Mimicking components of the natural endothelium, the highly blood compatible (haemocompatible) coating in the lumen was contrived to exhibit stability, hydrophilicity, nonthrombogenicity, antithrombogenicity and reduce nonspecific cellular and protein deposition, all of which are critical components of a haemocompatible surface. Combining this with a nonfouling and infection resistant exterior gives a vascular access graft that is resistant to thrombosis and microbial colonisation. Both coatings are patented technologies with proven efficacy in three marketed medical devices.

Dr Andy Goldberg, Founder of Medical Futures explained, “The judges feel that the BioInteractions technology could potentially solve a major unmet medical need.” He continued, “Reducing complications such as infections and thrombosis, would not only save the National Health Service significant sums of money, but could enhance the quality of care for kidney patients and the judges would like to see this technology progress into clinical trials.”

BioInteractions is about to enter into partnership with a large as yet unnamed company that plans on utilising the technology on its products. Dr Sandhu said, “This support will allow us to carry out the regulatory tests to turn this important new innovation into a reality to improve treatment of patients with kidney failure.”

Medical Futures Innovation Awards are part of a UK based awards process that is run by a team of doctors, businessmen and media and communication experts. In 2008, more than 1000 ideas were submitted.