Skip to main content

Silk, Medical and Serigen

 

In 1600 BC Greek surgeon Galen of Pergamon used silk to suture together gladiators’ severed tendons. This is the first noted use of silk in the medical field. Since then, silk has paved its way into the healthcare industry.






It has garnered special attention which can largely be attributed to its excellent material properties, affordability, and resource ability. Today, it's more than just a suture material.
Silk is a protein polymer that is secreted by a variety of species such as spiders, moths, and butterflies. It has notable properties like low immunogenic response, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. Additionally, studies have proven that silk supports human keratinocytes and fibroblast growth. These factors make it ideal for use in engineering artificial tissue and give it an added advantage over other biomaterials.

In 1992 - technology was discovered - to convert silk fiber into liquid silk. This opened up large possibilities. The liquid silk can then be cast into materials as per requirements.

Serigen is leveraging the material science of natural silk to develop unique tissue regeneration products. 

At Serigen, they convert silk threads (from the cocoons of silkworm Bombyx mori or mulberry silkworm) into a solution. The solution can be structured and shaped in various forms suitable for unique biomedical products.
Their exciting product range consists of - 

  • Seriderm - A single-use disposable dressing. It is non-adherent, and absorbent and ensures regulation of the moisture content at the wound bed.  Complex wounds like diabetic foot ulcers and second-degree burns can heal better with this dressing.
  • Serimat – is a  product helping in soft tissue and blood vessel regeneration. In surgeries for breast cancer with radical soft tissue loss, it provides tissue support.
  • Seriosis – is an osteoconductive bone void filler. It provides the appropriate environment for bone cells to thrive and function.  It’s multipurpose and used in trauma, infection, cancer, etc.  It dissolves after 6 months leaving space for the growth of natural tissues.
The presence of these products provides insight into the possibilities of silk use in medicine. Its potential to be employed in a multitude of applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, biomedical imaging, and cancer therapeutics remains at large.

While some of the products are achieving clinical translation, there are many avenues yet to be conquered eg silk in biomedical imaging, sensing, electronics, etc.
Silk is no doubt a promising biomaterial opening new vistas towards affordable healthcare solutions.






References 
https://serigenmed.com/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adhm.201800465

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ingenious Diagnostics

Diagnostic services contribute to only ~ 5% of the overall healthcare industry. However, their critical nature can be assessed from the fact that the remaining 95% of expenditures are based on the results obtained. One of the challenges in the use of diagnostic solutions is that the patients need to wait for at least a day to get the reports after sample collection. This induces a delay in the diagnosis and forces multiple trips to the doctor. This plus the fact that it often needs trained personnel to do the diagnostics – creates a cost and deterrence towards the diagnosis. Additionally,74% of existing diagnostic labs are primarily concentrated in large urban centers and hospitals, leaving vast swathes of rural India uncovered. This leaves the majority of the Indian population hanging by the thread when it comes to accessibility to diagnostics. Tier 3, and Tier 4 cities and rural areas - have shown a great demand for asset-light  diagnostic solutions which are portable, affordable...
Post a Comment
Read more

Metamorphosis of Compression Therapy

Exciting wearable from Anatomech Anatomech's exciting new innovation is in bionic wearable technology. Its products help enhance human body movement. Their new product - Kue bionic sleeve is made to provide compression therapy with ease. It is built to provide lifelong management for lymphedema. In lymphedema, there is fluid stagnation in the body. This leads to abnormal limb volume and an increased risk of infection. Its diagnosis comes with a lifetime requirement for  self-care and treatment to control skin deterioration. The burden of care, physical disfiguration, and loss of function are associated with compromised quality of life. Anatomech's easy wearable helps patients evade complex self-care (like lymphatic massage/drainage) and disease complications by providing appropriate compression therapy. The kue sleeve also has features such as - Graduated, sequential pressure application Has a pre-calibrated pressure range of 30-70 mm of Hg ideal for lymphatic drainage. Additio...
Post a Comment
Read more

Penicillin to Peril

As our arsenal of antibiotics faces the relentless evolution of resistant microbes, the urgency to fortify our defenses intensifies.  In this narrative, we unravel the intricate tapestry of AMR and technological ingenuity flourishing to safeguard the foundations of modern medicine.  What is Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)? AMR is a natural process that occurs when microbes (bacteria, viruses, etc) evolve mechanisms that protect them from the effects of antimicrobials (antibiotics, antivirals, etc). Widespread antibiotic resistance is a significant component of AMR. Rise of AMR In 1928, the lucky accident of Penicillin discovery in Alexander Fleming's London laboratory changed the course of medicine. Ten years after its discovery - in 1939, extensive research began on Penicillin. It led to the establishment of “The Penicillin Project” - a collaboration that brought 15 pharmaceutical companies in the USA and the UK together to produce Penicillin. The first trials of Penicillin w...
Post a Comment
Read more