VitaThreads LLC Announces a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Grant Award by the National Institutes …

WORCESTER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VitaThreads LLC today reported that the National Institute of General Medical Sciences1 has awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Grant for the study of the VitaSuture Wound Management Systems (VWMS). VitaThreads will collaborate with Kevin Smith, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill. The objective of the Phase I Grant, entitled, "Fibrin Sutures for Non-scarring Wound Closure" will be to optimize the performance characteristics of VWMS.

Dr. Smith commented, Im excited to collaborate with VitaThreads as part of this SBIR Phase I Grant award. Facial suture technology has not appreciably advanced over the past many years and I believe that devices which enable rapid, scar-free healing offer the best clinical option for patients undergoing facial wound repair for aesthetic procedures. The data I have seen from VitaThreads VWMS technology suggests an opportunity to achieve this objective. I look forward to working with VitaThreads to further develop VWMS and seeing this device enter the clinic.

VitaThreads previously reported that the company had met the primary endpoint of incision closure and secondary histological endpoints in pre-clinical in-vivo animal studies. VWMS demonstrated successful closure of evaluated wounds with no device-linked complications, complete absorption of the suture material within 14 days, and minimal histological evidence of inflammation as compared to commercial suture controls. Review by a board-certified histopathologist revealed less accompanying fibrosis and inflammation during suture absorption and wound healing than commercial suture controls. Mechanical testing of VWMS demonstrated superior break strength by a factor of as much as 2x over commercial suture controls.

About Kevin L. Smith, MD

Dr. Kevin L. Smith practices in Charlotte, North Carolina with Charlotte Plastic Surgery and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Smith is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, and the American Society of Plastic Surgery. He received his A.B. degree in Psychology from Princeton University and then went on to earn an M.Sc. degree in Biology at George Washington University. He studied medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School, completing both his general surgical internship and 4 year residency at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Smith completed a further 3 year plastic surgery residency at Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine and then went on to a 1 year fellowship the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University where he focused on hand surgery. Dr. Smith serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the Society of Medical Aestheticians and sits on the Board of Directors of the Physicians for Peace Foundation.

Previous Announcement

On June 14, 2014, VitaThreads Announced Meeting Primary and Secondary Endpoints in Pre-Clinical Studies Demonstrating Effectiveness of the VitaSuture Wound Management System (VWMS)

About the Facial Aesthetic Market

Facial aesthetic repair is a subset of the US aesthetic skin closure market, representing over 5.8M reconstructive surgeries and 1.6M elective cases annually2. The facial aesthetic repair segment represents over 620,000 surgical procedures annually emphasizing blepharoplasty, rhytidectomy, and rhinoplasty. Current patient out of pocket costs represent $3,000-7,000 per procedure and with frequent additional costs associated with treatments for the reduction of scar (estimated to occur in over 10% of surgeries3) to improve post-operative appearance.

About VitaThreads, LLC

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VitaThreads LLC Announces a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Grant Award by the National Institutes ...