‘Spiderman’ technology spins new artificial skin for patients

Nanomedic’s electrospinning technology creates artificial skins for wounds, burns, and scarring, printed with 3D technology and nanofibers to encourage patients to return to normal life

Yafit Ovadia 10:1819.07.21

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Company: Nanomedic

Product: Spincare System

Raised: Undisclosed

Founded: 2018

Founders: Spinoff company of Nicast with no specific founders

Treating burns, wounds, and scars presents both psychological and physical hindrances. This treatment also becomes complex, costly, and can deprive a patient of the use of that limb or area. Yet one biotech company, Nanomedic Technologies Ltd., has engineered an artificial skin, that is 3D-printed, is affixed directly onto a patient’s skin, and after 24-48 hours allows patients to use that area as they normally would, explained Gary Sagiv, VP of Marketing & Sales at Nanomedic.

“We have leveraged our electrospinning technology to develop a commercialized franchise handheld device for wound care that prints a nanofiber matrix directly onto a patient’s wound, via 3D printing, and treats three specific areas, primarily burns, trauma, and wound care,” Sagiv said, adding: “People quip our technology is reminiscent of Spiderman.”

The Nanomedic team. Photo: Nanomedic Technologies

Miniaturizing a product

Nanomedic’s focus is on commercializing and developing its clinical research. The company is now trialing its electrospun healing fibers matrix, which will be embedded with human skin cells to encourage tissue regeneration. The handheld device prints a nanofibrous healing matrix directly onto a patient’s wound. “For the sake of comparison, in the 1940s computers used to take up an entire room and are now sitting on your desktop; similarly we have minimized our technology. We then add to it an ampoule of polymer solution, and 3D-print that bandage onto an arm or any injured body part,” he noted. The company’s artificial bandage can treat any type of burn wounds, whether those were from chemical or electrical fires, as well as patients suffering from skiing or motorcycle accidents or with any type of physical skin abrasion. Sagiv added that it can be used for additional ailments such as diabetic foot wounds or even gunshot wounds.

The bandages are also airtight, which is a bonus when the potential for infection arises. “It prevents bacteria from getting into a wound, but our technology also allows patients to live life normally. If you burn your hand, then healthcare professionals heavily-bandage that area. Your hand could be out of use for a month or longer, until it heals. However, with our technology, we ‘spray’ on the bandage, and you could go back to using that limb within 24-48 hours. Most people take these types of injuries to heart; they could even become a psychological issue, but our device lets people return to normal. Just like the Health Ministry is trying to encourage us to live our lives alongside Covid-19, we are also trying to encourage patients to live with their injuries, and not let it dominate or inhibit their lives.”

Nanomedic is a spinoff of a larger medical device company, Nicast, which was a pioneer in electrospinning technology. In 2018, the company was founded to solely concentrate on the unique Spincare technology.

Nanomedic's device can "spin" artifical skins for burn and wound patients. Photo: Nanomedic Technologies

Spinning off to new markets

Nanomedics has branched out around the globe, and is targeting a niche $18 billion market. Its product is currently approved in Europe, is awaiting FDA approval, and is now expanding into the Asian market as well which is reopening fastest after the Covid-19 crisis. The Spincare System lies primarily in the skin-substitute market, although so far it has no direct competitors in that niche field. “Our solution is more efficient than other offerings out there, and has a higher efficacy, and is much cheaper than the alternatives out there,” Sagiv said.

“We hope to be active in every country in the world within two to three years. One thing commercialization has taught us is that it must be done slowly,” he said, adding that the company hopes to be successful in each market before moving to the next one. While some might find this approach conservative, he noted: “It’s the only right way to get things done. We have at least one or two interested parties in nearly every country, and believe the future is bright. The world is our oyster.”