DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES--(Marketwire - Jan 31, 2013) - At the Arab Health Conference today, Kerecis announced the signing of a distribution agreement with Medline Industries, Inc., based in Mundelein, Illinois. Kerecis is a medical device company focused on the treatment of tissue damage with Omega3-based regenerative technologies. The contract with Medline represents the first commercialization of the company's technology.
Medline is a leading manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products and programs with established sales channels globally. As the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products and services in the United States, Medline is the market leader in several major product categories, including exam gloves, textiles, durable medical equipment, skin care, adult incontinence products, patient plastic utensils and operating room kits.
MariGen Omega3 is a fish skin that has had all its cells and antigenic materials removed, leaving behind an extra-cellular matrix that looks like fish skin, and contains Omega3 and other fish-skin components. The product is manufactured according to a patent-pending method. MariGen Omega3 is applied to areas of tissue damage where it recruits the bodys own cells. Ultimately the product is converted into functional, living tissue.
Under the terms of the agreement, Medline will sell products that utilize the MariGen Omega3 regenerative technology for the management of chronic wounds, including diabetic, vascular and other hard-to-heal wounds. Initially Medline will sell products based on the MariGen Omega3 technology in the United Kingdom and several Middle Eastern countries.
Virtually any disease that results from damaged or failing tissues may be potentially cured with regenerative technologies. Kerecis is developing regenerative technologies for repairing damaged tissue in vivo, and by growing the tissues and organs in vitro and implanting them into the patient. The company's most advanced development plans include products to treat chronic wounds and hernias as well as treat defects in dura mater after neurosurgery.
Comment:
Gudmundur Fertram Sigurjonsson, Executive Chairman, Kerecis Limited:
"Kerecis is a development-stage medical device / biotechnology company. The agreement with Medline is a significant milestone for us as it represents the first stage in our transition to a commercial-stage business. We will continue to run multiple development projects such as our hernia and dura projects."
About Kerecis
Kerecis (http://www.kerecis.com) is a development and manufacturing business producing a novel, patent-pending, tissue-regeneration material derived from fish skin to accelerate the healing of wounds and tissue reconstruction. The Kerecis material addresses the large unmet need of the double-digit-growth biologics segment of the chronic-wounds, hernia-repair and dermatology markets. Development programs both involve the development of regenerative technologies for repairing damaged tissue in vivo, as well as growing the tissues and organs in vitro and implanting them into the patient at a later stage. The Kerecis material offers advantages over existing human- and porcine-derived products, including improved manufacturing economics and a lower risk of disease transfer. Since it is derived from fish, the material is both kosher and halal compatible, eliminating cultural and religious constraints on usage, with equivalent or better clinical performance. For more information, e-mail info@kerecis.com or call 703-879-6535 (U.S.) or 354-8494960 (Iceland).
About Medline
As the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of health care products in the United States, Medline manufactures and distributes more than 350,000 products to health care facilities in U.S. and in more than 90 countries around the world. Medline has 48 distribution centers and 16 manufacturing facilities worldwide. Named one of the America's "Best and Brightest Companies to Work For," Medline is headquartered in Mundelein, Ill. and has more than 1,100 dedicated sales representatives gobally to support its broad product line and cost management services. For more information on Medline, go to www.medline.com.
Contact Information:
For further information, contact:
G. Fertram Sigurjonsson
Executive Chairman
Kerecis Limited
Phone (Iceland) +354 8494960 / (U.S.) (703) 879-6535
E-mail: