Revolutionizing Wound Healing Technology
by Molly Barrett
In the United States alone, up to $25 billion is spent each year to treat chronic, non-healing wounds. With the aging population, longer life expectancies, and an increasing number of coexisting illnesses (such as diabetes, heart failure, obesity, and pulmonary and vascular diseases), this number is only expected to grow. The vascular system of such patients is compromised—leaving their bodies unable to heal a skin wound on its own.
Celleration Inc., has partnered with local companies Logic PD and Dynamic Group to create the technology that is a solution to this problem for millions of patients around the United States. Celleration is a local, privately held medical device company founded in 1999 to develop and commercialize their therapeutic ultrasound platform. Celleration’s main focus is the development and commercialization of therapeutic ultrasound’s healing technologies to treat wounds.
Celleration recently announced that they have received FDA clearance for their next generation UltraMIST System, the latest edition in their line of MIST Therapy products. The UltraMIST implements new and improved features in the system (applicator, treatment wand, and generator). MIST Therapy is the only stimulating therapeutic technology clinically proven across the wound healing matrix to accelerate the natural wound-healing process painlessly while also reducing bioburden.
Who It’s Helping
Six million Americans suffer from chronic wounds. Most treatment options available to patients can be invasive, painful, and time-consuming. Celleration’s MIST Therapy is revolutionary, in that it never makes contact with the wound that it heals. “The MIST system causes no further pain to the patient,” said Mark Wagner, president and CEO of Celleration.
MIST Therapy can be used to treat diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, and burns, as well as surgical and trauma wounds. The system already has been used on 65,000 patients, with a total of more than 1.2 million treatments completed. The system is considered an “almost automatic standard of care” within health clinics, according to Wagner. Celleration’s largest customer is the Mayo Clinic, which has been using the MIST Therapy System for over 10 years.
New UltraMIST System
Celleration’s MIST Therapy System heals wounds by doing two things: removing the barriers to healing, and stimulating cells to promote future healing. The UltraMIST consists of a system (generator/treatment wand) and a disposable applicator. For the creation of this new and improved device, “[We] really wanted to focus on our customers and their needs. We went back to our old model and saw what we could improve and change,” said Douglas Duchon, vice president of R&D at Celleration.
To make this new and improved system possible, Celleration partnered with two other local Minnesota companies: Dynamic Group and Logic PD. Dynamic Group supplies the disposable applicator for the UltraMIST unit, as well as the assembly, high tolerance molding, and automated test systems for the device. Logic PD provides the improved generator and treatment wand. Together, all three companies have created the newest innovation in wound healing therapy through the MIST Therapy System and the UltraMIST device.
Locally Made
Celleration is excited about the fact that their system and applicator are made in Minnesota. “The FDA is reaching further back into the supply stream; they want to know all the way back to your suppliers how you are controlling the product,” said Duchon. By partnering with two local companies, Celleration is able to dictate clearly what their business goals are, while still having a personal relationship with the employees of their company and their partnering companies.
“The closer it can be made to home, the better,” said Duchon. He further stressed that the importance of working with local companies comes down to one issue: location. With their partner companies in the same state, Celleration quickly is able to address problems, customer concerns, and also discuss the production process at any time.
Wagner also stressed that it’s vitally important for the employees of Celleration to know exactly what the technology does. “Employees have been touched by this issue in some way. They know someone who has had these issues with wound healing and they want to help. They get it,” said Wagner.
Celleration and their innovative products are striving to improve the health and lives of patients across the U.S. and, eventually, the world. Wagner said, “Small companies like ours make it possible to improve lives that much faster.”
Copyright © 2015 Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association. For permission to use or reprint this article please contact Molly Barrett, publications manager for Precision Manufacturing Journal.