MellingMedical has signed a five-year contract with Kerecis to provide the latter company’s fish-skin wound-care technology to U.S. veterans suffering from combat-related trauma, burns, diabetic ulcers, and surgical wounds.
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will be able to offer the pioneering treatment to the nine million veterans currently enrolled in its program courtesy of the wound-care blanket purchase agreement.
Kerecis’ technology involves intact fish skin that is grafted onto damaged human tissue, which allows it to recruit the body's own cells to convert the wounded skin back into living tissue. The fish skin used by the company in the process comes from sustainably-caught North Atlantic cod, according to a press release from Kerecis and MellingMedical.
“Because no disease-transfer risk exists between cold-water fish and humans, the Kerecis fish skin is only gently processed and retains its similarity to human skin, making it an ideal skin substitute,” the firms said.
MellingMedical President and CEO Chris Melling noted the therapy’s potential impact on a number of afflictions known to pain veterans, from combat wounds to diabetes.
"This pioneering technology is a leading option for protecting and healing the body's largest organ, the skin, whether the veterans are receiving treatment for combat wounds or are among the 25 percent of veterans who suffer from diabetes," Melling said. "The men and women who have served our country deserve the best possible care, including the innovative therapies developed by Kerecis."
Kerecis Founder and CEO G. Fertram Sigurjonsson said the new contract with MellingMedical will help deliver innovative care to a demographic in need.
"At Kerecis, our mission is to extend human life by supporting the body's own ability to regenerate tissues," Sigurjonsson said. "American veterans are nearly 15 percent more likely to develop diabetes than the general population, increasing the likelihood that they will develop diabetic ulcers. Our partnership with MellingMedical will help us close the care gap for those who need these therapies the most."
The products developed by Kerecis involve fatty-acid-rich – including omega-3s – fish skin, as well as “other important fish and plant-derived fatty acids,” the company said. Its technologies are being used currently “to protect and regenerate tissue in diabetic and trauma wounds, and for infection control.”
Kerecis announced in September that it was donating its Kerecis Omega3 Burn product for those burned in the fires in California, Oregon, and Washington.
“These horrific fires are having a devastating effect on human lives and habitat,” Sigurjonsson said. “We want to help those who have been burned to heal as quickly and easily as possible. We encourage medical professionals to contact us to get a supply of Kerecis Omega3 Burn for their patients.”
Photo courtesy of Kerecis
