Medicine today uses a wide range of cardiovascular implants and extracorporeal blood-contacting medical devices, such as stents, vascular grafts, mechanical heart valves and ventricular assist devices, as well as dialysers and artificial heart-lung machines. Despite substantial progress in biomaterial engineering, no truly bloodcompatible material has so far been developed, and many materials and procedures are still associated with adverse side effects due to the undesirable activation of blood.
Clinically proven technology
Carmeda BioActive Surface (also known as the CBAS Heparin Surface) is a registered, clinically proven technology for improvement of the performance of artificial materials used in blood-contacting medical devices. This heparinbased coating mimics the functional properties of the natural vessel wall, and minimises the risk of materialinduced inflammation and thrombosis.
When an artificial material comes in contact with blood, it will be recognised as foreign by the body and will induce activation of natural defence systems in the blood. Primarily, the coagulation and complement cascade systems will be activated. A haemostatic mechanism will be initiated via the coagulation cascade that triggers clot formation to restore vessel integrity. The complement system, which is part of the innate immune system, triggers inflammation as a consequence of the foreign irritant.
Activation of these cascade systems will lead to activation of blood cells, such as platelets and leukocytes, and ultimately results in thrombosis and inflammation that contribute to device malfunctioning and risk of severe complications for the patient.
Lasting thromboresistance
In order to reduce adverse reactions caused by artificial materials, activation of the blood cascade systems needs to be kept at a minimum. The Carmeda BioActive Surface is a coating designed to improve blood compatibility and actively reduce thrombus formation on blood-contacting medical device surfaces. This innovative technology uses the well-established anticoagulant properties of heparin, which mimics the functional properties of the natural vessel wall.
The covalently end-point-attached heparin continuously down-regulates activation of the coagulation cascade. It does this by making the natural anticoagulant antithrombin a more efficient inhibitor for coagulation factors. In addition, the Carmeda BioActive Surface almost eliminates complement activation, minimising the inflammatory response. In this manner, the coating efficiently suppresses the driving forces for thrombotic and inflammatory complications related to the exposure of blood to artificial materials. Key to the outstanding performance of Carmeda BioActive Surface is preservation of the functional activity of the heparin molecules, which is not the case for commercially available heparin coatings in general.
Available for licensing
The Carmeda BioActive Surface is the most clinically proven haemocompatible coating on the market and is available for licensing through Carmeda AB. Carmeda and CBAS are trademarks of Carmeda AB, a wholly owned subsidiary of WL Gore & Associates. Carmeda has more than 30 years of experience in the field of haemocompatible coatings for medical devices, which also has resulted in a strong IP portfolio protecting the technology. The organisation is streamlined and projectdriven, ensuring a smooth process for feasibility studies, product development, manufacturing and regulatory support. Carmeda always strives to meet its customers’ expectations and deliver on time. Would your company’s medical device benefit from a thromboresistant coating?
