Phytoceuticals plant-based wound dressing gains CE Mark
3 Nov 2010
Swiss company Phytoceuticals Ltd has received the CE mark for its novel
primary wound dressing, called "1", the first product that will be
commercialized from the company’s wound-healing platform.
The product is formulated from a proprietary combination of two
plant-derived oils, Neem oil and St John's Wort oil. Neem,
Azadirachta indica, is a tree native to S and SE Asia where it
has been traditionally used for medicinal purposes, food (young
shoots), insecticide (seeds) and for timber. St John's Wort,
Hypericum perforatum, is a European herbaceous plant that has
also traditionally been used as a herbal medicine (and is now
regarded as an invasive weed in many countries).
1 is designed to be effective in a broad range of wound states.
It acts as a physical barrier against desiccation and contamination
of a wound and prevents adherence of the secondary dressing to the
wound. In addition, Neem and St John's Wort oils have a nutritional
effect, supporting healthy wound healing and protecting the
periwound skin.
“The use of 1 led to an impressive induction of granulate tissue,
even in very deep wounds,” said Prof. Thomas Hunziker MD, University
Hospital, Bern, Switzerland. “1 was very well-accepted by patients
since it facilitated painless removal of secondary dressings, and no
adverse reactions were observed using 1.”
“1 has been approved in the EU as a medical device. Our strategy
is to make 1 available in Switzerland immediately, and then
eventually expand internationally, ideally together with a big
industry partner,” said Theiler.
“Modern biotechnology is slowly finding its way into the natural
extracts industry, with companies being founded that see the
development of natural extracts-based remedies on a scientific basis
as a significant opportunity,” added Chairman Dr Stephen Rietiker.
“Like Phytoceuticals, these companies are developing
medicines based on natural extracts that enjoy patent protection,
establish reliable raw material sourcing, and therefore are able to
tap into the global pharmaceutical market — thus becoming an
interesting pipeline candidate for big pharmaceutical companies.
This is the strategy Phytoceuticals is pursuing on a
product-by-product basis.”