Smith & Nephew Announces Worldwide Agreement With Covalon Technologies

       Smith & Nephew’s (Largo, Fla) Advanced Wound Management division announces the signing of an exclusive worldwide sales, marketing, and distribution agreement with Covalon technologies (Mississauga, Ontario) for their advanced range of collagen dressings. Smith & Nephew Advanced Wound Management will be the sole distributor of ColActive™ products globally, effectively immediately.
       The agreement not only allows the distribution of ColActive range of products based on Covalon’s unique patented technology, but also grants access and distribution rights to an exciting and differentiated new product development portfolio in the field of advanced wound care utilizing the same technology. This will yield further new product introductions in 2007.
       This agreement further strengthens the Smith & Nephew Advanced Woundcare product portfolio alongside our ALLEVYN™ foam and ACTICOAT™ antimicrobial technologies and offers customers a more a comprehensive solution to address their wound care needs.
       Visit http://www.smith-nephew.com for more information.

New AAWM Wound Care Credential Now Available

       The American Academy of Wound Management (Washington, DC), the premiere national interdisciplinary certifying board for healthcare professionals involved in wound care announces the Certified Wound Care Associate® (CWCA®) credential. This new wound care credential is open to all healthcare clinicians with a minimum of 3 years of wound care experience.
       The National Examination for Board Certification for the Certified Wound Care Associate from the American Academy of Wound Management will be held August 4–18, 2007 and every February and August at selected Lasergrade testing centers (www.lasergrade.com) nationwide.
       Visit http://www.aawm.org or call 202-457-8408 for more information.

Tempur-Pedic® Launches Website Targeted at Consumers and Customers

       Tempur-Pedic® North America, Inc., Medical Division (Lexington, Ky) announces the launch of a new web site, www.tempurmed.com. This site is for both consumers and customers looking for background on Tempur-Pedic Medical products, company information, and skills.
       Clinical studies show that TEMPUR® material prevents and treats pressure ulcers, reduces agitation in people with dementia, improves sleep and reduces back pain, and, improves sleep for healthy people as well as those suffering with symptoms of fibromyalgia.
       The web site is constructed with tabs for consumers, healthcare practitioners, wound care specialists, and partners. The site provides valuable information on sleep, pressure management, and Tempur-Pedic clinical studies.
       Visit http://www.tempurmed.com or call 888-255-3302 for more information.

Research, Education, and Technology Merger Strives to Create Gold Standard in Wound Care

       Two of the nation’s leaders in the $7 billion global wound care industry have merged. National Healing Corporation (“NHC” Boca Raton, Fla) recently purchased Medical Multiplex, Inc. (“MMI” Louisville, Ky) to promote advances in the fields of research, education, and technology.
       Both privately owned companies offer development and management of out sourced wound healing centers and hyperbaric oxygen facilities. MMI partners with 22 centers in 11 states will become a division of NHC which accounts for more than 23% of the nations managed wound-healing centers.
       With the wound outcome databases, clinical pathways, software, and established research partnerships, both companies will become the new gold standard in wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy services.
       Visit http://www.nationalhealing.com or http://www.medicalmultiplex.com for more information.

Quick-Med Technologies Licenses NIMBUS™ Antimicrobial Technology to Derma Sciences for Use in Wound Care Products

       Derma Sciences, Inc (Princeton, NJ), announces the company has entered into a multiyear patent and technology license agreement with Quick-Med Technologies, Inc (Gainesville, Fla). The agreement licenses the Quick-Med NIMBUS™ antimicrobial technology to Derma Sciences on an exclusive basis for use in specific wound care products, including conforming gauze, gauze sponges, gauze bandage rolls, gauze packing strips, oil emulsion acetate, and Unna Boot dressings.
       Under the terms of the agreement, Quick-Med will receive royalty payments of 20% of the net revenue Derma Sciences receives from sales of the licensed products. In addition, the company will receive an upfront license signing fee of $50,000 and quarterly advance royalty payments of $25,000 for the next 9 months from the effective date of the license agreement. This agreement is exclusive for United States and Canadian wholesale markets.
       The agreement also grants Derma Sciences a nonexclusive license with 10% royalty payments to develop and market the licensed products in the wound care industry to or on behalf of the US government and in the wholesale markets of all countries outside of the US and Canada, subject to certain limitations.
       Visit http://www.dermasciences.com for more information.

Lavery and Armstrong Receive Major NIH Grant for Podiatry

       Lawrence A. Lavery, DPM, MPH, and David G. Armstrong, DPM, PhD, Professors of Surgery at Scott and White’s University Medical Center and Texas A&M College of Medicine (Temple, Tex), and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (North Chicago, Ill), respectively, have received a $2.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
       The study, conducted at the 2 universities, will evaluate methods of offloading on healing diabetic foot ulcers, as well as compliance and health economic outcomes. Dr. Lavery noted, “Every study we design has clinical and economic outcomes. To improve health care, it is no longer enough to show that a device or approach works; we have to convince health plans it is financially sound as well.”
       Dr. Armstrong, Director of Scholl’s Center for Lower Extremity Amputation Research (CLEAR) was equally enthusiastic. “The study features a host of new techniques and technologies, including sophisticated activity monitoring, novel methods of healing prediction, and the now well-known ‘instant contact cast’ system.”
       Visit http://diabetic-foot.net for more information.