Kerecis, a provider of tissue-regeneration materials, has been awarded a US patent for the use of fish skin in medical applications.
The Kerecis material consists of sheets of intact, decellularized fish skin that have had all cells and antigenic materials removed. Fish skin is largely made from the same material as human skin, with the addition of Omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The material is applied to areas of tissue damage where it recruits the body's own cells and ultimately is converted into functional, living tissue.
The first Kerecis product, MariGen Omega3 Wound, is indicated for the management of chronic wounds including diabetic, vascular and other hard-to-heal wounds.
The product is produced in Iceland from fish locally harvested in the North Atlantic waters. MariGen Omega3 Wound is available for sale in Iceland, the UK and several Middle Eastern markets. The company will soon be expanding distribution to other markets.
Kerecis CEO, president and chairman Fertram Sigurjonsson said: "Coming on the heels of our FDA approval last November, this patent gives us a strong position in the world's largest market for wound-care and tissue-healing products."
