AorTech International has announced to investors that the company is making the transition to a medical device company. During this process, the Scotland-based company has invested in cleanrooms to allow graft manufacturing to commence.
Bill Brown, Chairman of AorTech, said: "Since implementing our strategy of transitioning AorTech to a medical device company, much effort was spent in laying the foundations to deliver life-changing medical devices. These foundations are now being built upon and progress is strong."
AorTech has developed biostable, implantable polymers, including Elast-Eon and ECSil, the long-term implantable co-polymers, now manufactured on its behalf by Biomerics LLC in Utah, US. These polymers can be processed using conventional thermoplastic extrusion and moulding techniques.
AorTech is now incorporating this material into a number of medical devices of its own design. Elast-Eon has long term blood-contacting properties and, as a result, all of the initial products being developed are for the cardiovascular field, such as a in heart valves to replace animal-sourced materials.
"The latest design of the heart valve is a major step forward and, on some measurements, test results are two to three times better than from earlier designs. With new cleanroom facilities having been completed at RUA Medical, trial manufacturing of the grafts is now underway," explained Brown.
Despite these new cleanrooms, money management has been a top priority, with Brown explaining that cash has been managed very carefully with a net cash burn over the six months of only £100,000.
