CryoLife has announced that it has been awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent Office for BioFoam, a protein hydrogel foam for rapidly filling and sealing open wounds.
Scientists at CryoLife invented and developed this product as a hemostatic agent and tissue and organ sealant. CryoLife is continuing to develop BioFoam as an organ and tissue sealant. Other applications the company may explore include vascular sealing and tissue augmentation.
Additionally, CryoLife has received funds from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), as part of its battlefield trauma program, for the development of protein hydrogel as a product to limit blood loss in soldiers injured in battle.
"When we began developing BioFoam, we quickly realized the many potential life-saving uses this product could have," said Steven G. Anderson, CryoLife president and chief executive officer. "The granting of the patent validates our technology leadership, reflects our history of innovation and protects our intellectual property."
BioFoam contains an expansion agent, and rapidly fills wounds when dispensed. It is easily applied and could potentially be used intraoperatively to control internal organ hemorrhage, limit blood loss, reduce the need for future operations, as well as to seal open wounds to improve outcomes in penetrating abdominal and chest injury. BioFoam is based on the same technology platform as the BioGlue(R) Surgical Adhesive, a CryoLife product approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to control bleeding as an adjunct to sutures and staples in open surgical repair of large vessels. BioGlue is also CE marked in the European Community and approved in Canada and Australia for use in soft tissue repair, which includes vascular and pulmonary sealing and repair.