Hemostatic Soft Tissue Adhesives

Novel bio-adhesives based on the natural polymers, gelatin (protein) and alginate (polysaccharide), and a carbodiimide crosslinking agent. The carbodiimide crosslinking agent is much less toxic than other crosslinking agents used in bioadhesives and therefore our bioadhesives exhibit enhanced biocompatibility. Our bioadhesives provide rapid adhesion, maintain a strong and close apposition of wound edges (to allow for natural wound healing), do not interfere with the body’s natural healing mechanisms and degrade without producing any inflammatory response. In addition, they are viscous liquids before curing, allowing for easy application, and solidify quickly with a low gelation time.

The Need
Tissue adhesives are substances that hold tissues together, and are broadly applicable in medicine and surgery. In appropriate circumstances, they are even preferred alternatives to sutures and staples since they can be applied more quickly, cause less pain and require less equipment. In addition to their use in topical wound closure they can supplement or replace sutures or staples in internal surgical procedures. Soft tissue adhesives can also be used for bleeding control, as sealants preventing air leakage from the lungs, and in repairing aortic dissections and external fixation of certain devices.

Advantages

• Superior adhesion strength, ease of handling and biocompatibility.
• Possibility of incorporating hemostatic agents, enabling bleeding control.
• Design enables integration and release of drugs (antibiotics and pain killers) in a controlled desired manner.

Current market of surgical adhesives includes cyanoacrylates, fibrin sealants and protein-based bioadhesives. These products do not combine the aforementioned capabilities. Cyanoacrylates are toxic, carcinogenic and exhibit over stiffness, while fibrin sealants exhibit poor tissue adhesion and risk of transferring diseases.

Patents and Status
A patent in PCT stage.

Supporting Publications
 Gelatin-Alginate Novel Tissue Adhesives and their Formulation-Strength Effects: B Cohen, O Pinkas, M Foox and M Zilberman, Acta Biomaterialia, 9, 9004-9011 (2013).
 Effect of Bioactive Fillers on the Structure and Bonding Strength of Novel Gelatin-Alginate Bioadhesives: B Cohen, M Panker, E Zuckerman, M Foox and M Zilberman, Journal of Biomaterials Applications, in press.
 Novel Gelatin-Alginate Soft Tissue Adhesives Loaded with Drugs for Pain Management: Structure and Properties B Cohen, A Shefy-Peleg and M Zilberman, Journal of Biomaterials Science – Polymer edition, in press.
 Antibiotic Eluting Gelatin-Alginate Novel Soft Tissue Adhesives A Shefy-Peleg, M Foox, B Cohen and M Zilberman, International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials, in press.

Project manager

Rona Samler
VP, BD Physical Science, Medical Device, Chemistry

Project researchers

Meital Zilberman
T.A.U Tel Aviv University, Engineering
Bio-Medical Engineering