Public Funding for 5D Health Protection Group Ltd

This project is a collaboration between NanoFlex Ltd and the 5D Health Protection Group Ltd. The research and development collaboration will develop and prove the feasibility and relevance of the sensor data generated in the context of managing wounds. It is believed that with the appropriate information of those suffering from chronic wounds individuals can be cared for more effectively bringing benefits to the patient in terms of greater comfort and more rapid recovery and to the health service in terms of reduced burden on community care and in terms of direct and indirect costs due to biofilms. Once the _in vitro_ relevance has been established it will significantly de-risk the approach and it is believed this will enable the technology to be rolled out as a commercial product either through joint ventures with existing companies in this space or through the raising of venture finance. Presently such technologies do not exist in the market so this innovation will create a smart detection and responsive innovative antibiofilm technology for the treatment of biofilms in non-healing wounds.

This project is a collaboration between the 5D Health Protection Group Ltd and the University of Bradford. The research and development collaboration will enable the development of state-of-the-art bioresponsive polymeric nanotherapeutic molecules which respond to changes in the wound environment, linked to elevated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) levels. Increased level of MMPs correlate to biofilm infections. The controlled release of antibiofilm compounds can be applied to wound dressing platforms for enhancing clinical wound management. Elevated MMPs and biofilms are a concern in non-healing wounds and increase the risk of infection. Furthermore,presently used interventions are not responsive to wound changes and do not have antibiofilm ability. There is thus a major customer and commercial need, which this project will address. This project will involve the development of a responsive polymer which reacts to levels of MMPs leading to the release of antibiofilm complexes for maximum impact and reduced hospital costs by enhancing NHS turnaround. Presently such technologies do not exist in the market so this innovation will create a smart detection and responsive polymer combined innovative antibiofilm complexes for the treatment of biofilms in non-healing wounds.

This project is a collaboration between the 5D Health Protection Group Ltd and the University of Liverpool Clinical Engineering Department. The research and development collaboration will enable the development of the next generation antibiofilm technologies that can be applied to medical platforms for enhancing clinical outcome. One important area for use of this technology would be woundcare considering now that chronic wounds have been shown to now contain biofilms. Many complex biofilms found in non-healing and infected chronic wounds are recalcitrant to presently used antimicrobial interventions. Furthermore these interventions are often overused and have no enhanced clinical benefit. In addition the project will involve the development of a framework that involves the intelligent triggered release of synergistic agents for maximum impact and reduced hospital costs. Presently such technology does not exist in the market so this innovation will create the first world leading prototypes and advanced technolgies that presently do not deliver to the expectations required for biofilm management in non-healing and infected chronic wounds.

To project aims to investigate the development of a new anti-biofilm framework to reduce microbial attachment and biofilm formation on materials used in the healthcare industry but in particular, woundcare. The framework would be applied topically in liquids, gels, wound dressings and other medical devices to accelerate wound healing and prevent or treatinfections.