Silq Technologies Corporation, a privately held advanced materials science company, and NuSil Technology LLC, a subsidiary of Avantor Inc., Radnor, Pa. (NYSE: AVTR), and a leading global supplier of high-quality silicones for long-term medical implants, have entered into an agreement to facilitate the utilization of Silq’s zwitterionic surface treatment technology on medical devices manufactured with NuSil silicone products.
Zwitterion surface technology has been a major subject of research in academia for several decades because of its potential to reduce medical implant-associated infections and complications without the use of antibiotics. Zwitterion functionalized surfaces have also been shown to mitigate fibrosis and thrombosis, reduce encrustation and enhance surface lubricity. However, manufacturing and economic challenges have largely prevented their commercial applicability.
Silq Technologies, a company spun out of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), has successfully developed and deployed an innovative, scalable method of applying a permanent zwitterion surface treatment to implantable medical devices. Silq first demonstrated the technology on indwelling catheters, one of the most commonly used medical implants and historically associated with high complication rates. Silq’s zwitterion-treated ClearTract® Foley catheter has been cleared by the FDA and is currently being rolled out commercially across the United States. Preliminary findings of two randomized clinical trials demonstrate highly favorable clinical outcomes and economic benefits of Silq’s technology. Final results are expected to be published in the coming months.
Silq and NuSil’s collaboration will explore opportunities to apply Silq’s technology on a wide range of implantable medical devices that are currently prone to complications resulting in infections, premature device failure, and surgical removal and replacement.
“We are extremely excited by the potential our collaboration with NuSil offers,” said D. Verne Sharma, CEO of Silq. “This partnership aims to address challenges currently faced by device manufacturers and we believe it will expedite our mission of utilizing zwitterion technology across a diverse array of implantable applications.”
“NuSil is excited to collaborate with Silq, a leader in applying permanent zwitterion surface treatments to implantable medical devices,” said Rich Best, General Manager of NuSil. “The potential synergies between these surface coatings and our customized silicone solutions could drive new innovations in emerging therapies and medical devices and bring significant benefit to patients. This collaboration aligns with our mission to set science in motion to create a better world.”
About Silq Technologies Corporation
Silq Technologies is a leader in advanced biomaterials. The company’s patented zwitterion-based technology and scalable manufacturing platform deliver a unique surface treatment that is designed to resist the adhesion of organic material, thereby improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of a broad range of commercial products. The technology can be used in medical devices, medical implants, microfluidics, biopharma applications, water treatment facilities, and much more. The company’s first product, a surface treated silicone Foley catheter, has been cleared for sale by the FDA and is in early stages of commercialization. Silq is working with several medical device manufacturers to evaluate the clinical benefits of Silq’s zwitterion coating on their implantable products. For additional information, visit https://www.silq.tech/.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250219365843/en/
"This partnership aims to address challenges currently faced by device manufacturers and we believe it will expedite our mission of utilizing zwitterion technology across a diverse array of implantable applications.” - Silq CEO D. Verne Sharma
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