Tyber Medical Acquires Exclusive Licensing Agreement For Antimicrobial Surface Coating Technology

New BioTy™ Antimicrobial Surface Coating Technology will enable cost-effective infection control in spine and orthopaedic implants.

Morristown, NJ /PRNewswire/ - Tyber Medical, LLC, a private label original equipment manufacturer of spine and orthopaedic implants, announced today it has acquired an exclusive licensing agreement for an antimicrobial surface coating technology, to be used in certain orthopaedic applications. The agreement between Tyber Medical and a prestigious biomaterial research institution also includes refining the manufacturing process, as well as ongoing funding for additional scientific studies.

Infection control is a critical concern in healthcare. Nowhere is that more evident than with surgical implants, where the body's own defense mechanism will coat an implant with a "Biofilm" layer. Biofilm is known to resist antibiotic therapy, the primary treatment option in infection control. As a result, the cost impact of Biofilm is significant. In fact, hospital associated infections caused from Biofilm on medical devices is estimated to cost the US healthcare system $35.7 - $45 Billion annually[1]. Recent information released by the CDC shows that surgical site infection rates accounted for 31% of all healthcare associated infections among hospitalized patients. In part, this is due to the widespread production, use and misuse of antibiotics, which have contributed to the next generation of drug resistant infectious organisms, commonly called "Superbugs".

BioTy™ Antimicrobial Surface Coating Technology

Called BioTy Antimicrobial Surface Coating, the technology exhibits unique surface characteristics on a nanoscale that have the potential to significantly reduce infections. Plus, the BioTy process can be applied to a variety of implant materials, including titanium, stainless steel, cobalt chrome and PEEK.

"Exciting new research suggests that implant nanoscale features alone, without using pharmaceutical agents, can inhibit bacteria and virus functions to improve medical device performance," said Thomas J. Webster, Ph.D., Art Zafiropoulo Chair and Professor of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, and a new Advisory Board Member at Tyber Medical. "I'm also very pleased to be working with Tyber Medical to further develop the BioTy technology for use on a wide range of surgical implants."

"We see three significant benefits resulting from our new BioTy technology," said Jeff Tyber, Founder and President of the company. "Initially, it may enable us to be first to market with implants that exhibit exceptional infection control properties. Second, by tailoring implant surface characteristics, we can optimize certain qualities of the implant, such as boney ingrowth and attachment, to meet the needs of specific clinical applications. Lastly, the potential inherent antimicrobial properties of the BioTy process may negate the need and expense of pharmaceutical agents. As a result, cost effective infection control may be within our reach."  

To learn more about the BioTy Antimicrobial Surface Coating Technology, visit Tyber Medical Booth #505 at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society's (AOFAS) Annual Meeting, July 15 – 17 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA.

About Tyber Medical, LLC
Tyber Medical, LLC, Morristown, New Jersey, a private label original equipment manufacturer (OEM), is creating new pathways to regulatory approved implants and instruments for orthopaedic companies, distributors, and hospital organizations. Tyber Medical designs and develops class II orthopaedic systems; verifies and validates those systems using a QSR and ISO 13485 certified quality system; and pursues and maintains both US (FDA 510(k)) and OUS (CE Mark) regulatory approvals. The new BioTy™ technology is the latest addition to a comprehensive product portfolio in spine and orthopaedics, including headless compression trauma screws, an anterior cervical plating system, and a full line of spinal interbody spacers. For more information, please visit www.tybermedical.com.