BUSINESS CONCEPT: Wound treatment is a major healthcare cost for all developed countries. In the UK for example, it is estimated that up to 4% of all health care costs are due to wounds . The global market for advanced wound care products was projected to be $ 3 billion in 2012, with an annual growth above 10% and representing one of the leading medical product sectors . However, this represents only some 15-20% of the overall cost of wound treatment, where hospitalisation and nurse time represent the remaining costs. The main driver for growth is the treatment of chronic and complex wounds in an aging population, complicated by the increase in diabetes and other metabolic disorders. Ideally, wounds at-risk of becoming chronic in high-risk patients should be treated from the outset with the most effective products (such as collagen based dressings and Negative Pressure Wound Therapy), however, due to cost considerations, this is not the case.
SOLUTION: BIOVOTEC aims to pursue a major market opportunity by developing cost-effective wound dressings that can be used for initial treatment of all wounds at risk of delayed or non-healing, reducing the incidence of chronic wounds, such as venous and diabetic ulcers. BIOCURE is based on a novel biomaterial derived from eggshell membrane (ESM) – a by-product readily available in egg industry. BIOCURE range products will be safer, potentially more effective, much more easily scalable and significantly lower in cost when compared with the available animal tissue based advanced wound healing products, such as bovine collagen and porcine materials which are expensive to derive and have potential safety concerns . Nevertheless, despite the benefits of using ESM based wound dressings, it is crucial to validate and demonstrate the benefits of ESM based wound dressings before large-scale commercialization.
The key expected outcome of this overall innovation will be a range of cost-effective wound care products which: a) Manage wound moisture content b) Provide an anti-microbial barrier and wound covering c) Prevent or reduce bacterial growth d) Most importantly, provide a biological stimulus to wound healing and tissue repair. As first application, we will focus on clinically validating the product for treatment of venous ulcers and diabetic ulcers, which are major unmet medical needs. Clinically, our goal is for BIOCURE to be used as a first-line treatment in all chronic and at risk wounds.
