Investors sought for chitosan-based surgical membranes

BIRMINGHAM, AL – Magenta Medical Inc. was recently incorporated to manufacture a new type of surgical membranes composed of dense chitosan, a natural and non-toxic sugar polymer typically prepared from the chitin shells of shrimp.

The dense chitosan membrane biomaterial serves as a platform technology for Magenta. The firm is currently seeking investors and strategic business partners to hasten the commercialization of these new products.

The innovative technology, currently patent pending, was developed by Agenta Biotechnologies Inc., located in Birmingham's Innovation Depot. The first publication of the chitosan membrane is in press in the Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition.

Magenta, The Color of Wound Healing(TM), was co-founded by two experienced scientist-entrepreneurs, DoctorsTom Dooley and Arthur DeCarlo.

"We are the first company to develop chitosan, a well-known material, into a suture-able membrane form with excellent properties for use in the clinic," said Dr Dooley, CEO of the new firm. "We expect that this unique technology will be a game-changer for the commercial surgical membrane marketplace."

Dr DeCarlo, a clinician and medical researcher, conceived the invention while considering the literal and figurative "weaknesses" of current commercial surgical membranes, such as collagen membranes. Surgical membranes are used by physicians and dentists to separate tissues and to provide support during wound healing. The discovery was supported by a grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The dense chitosan membranes are being developed as medical devices for use by oral, orthopedic, general, plastic, and dermatologic surgeons. The membranes may also be used as wound dressings and to deliver active ingredients, such as drugs, biologics, and vaccines.