Nexia Biotechnologies
(Canada) has signed a collaboration agreement with Acordis to develop a fibre
spinning process for BioSteel.
A deal has been made for the processing of a spider silk protein expressed in
the milk of transgenic goats. The protein, dubbed BioSteel by its manufacturer Nexia
Biotechnologies (Canada) is expected to have uses in medical textiles and
protective clothing. Acordis Speciality Fibres
Ltd will develop a fibre spinning process for the recombinant spider silk
protein. This contract is an extension of a current agreement with Acordis
Speciality Fibres in which the company was not previously identified. It follows
positive results achieved in the initial evaluation of the spinning process
development for BioSteel.
Commenting on the deal, Brad Cilley, Vice President Business Development -
Medical Devices of Nexia, said, "Spinning BioSteel fibres is on our
critical path and Nexia is fortunate to have Acordis Speciality Fibres, a
preeminent innovator in medical textiles, as its partner in this effort. We are
very pleased with the fibre spinning progress that Acordis Speciality Fibres and
Nexia have achieved to date. This progress has given us confidence that we will
hit our 2003 milestones: to establish a process by spring of 2003, to develop
prototype BioSteel microsutures, and to complete development leading to a
regulatory submission by the fall."
At Acordis, Jim Edmonds, Commercial Director, said, "We believe Nexia's
BioSteel program to develop new strong biomaterials for possible use in the body
is one of the most innovative approaches worldwide. We're pleased to be joining
Nexia on the cutting edge of this technology, and are committed to help BioSteel
achieve commercial success." Under the terms of the agreement, technical
personnel from Nexia and Acordis Speciality Fibres are working together to
develop the spinning technology and processes to produce BioSteel fibres
building on the information gained from the first phase of the collaboration.
That information included investigation of the chemistry of spinning as well as
evaluation of various spinning techniques and post-spinning manipulation of the
fibres. As part of the agreement, Nexia has also granted Acordis Speciality
Fibres a first option to execute a co-exclusive manufacturing agreement.
Nexia is optimistic that BioSteel-based medical devices will have superior
mechanical properties with acceptable strength, biocompatibility, and
biodegradation. The Company believes that BioSteel-M will be one of the
strongest biomaterials available if and when it is licensed for marketing by
regulatory authorities. Over the past year, Nexia's product development team has
successfully spun prototype fibres which were bundled, dyed, and sterilized for
evaluation in the first of a series of biocompatibility tests. Nexia intends to
develop a number of medical device products with fibres spun from a commercial
process over the next 12 to 24 months including microsutures, surgical meshes
for hernia repair, and artificial anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) for knee
reconstruction.
Contact: Nexia Biotechnologies Inc., 21,025 Trans-Canada Highway, Ste. Anne
de Bellevue, QC, H9X 3R2 Canada.
Tel: +1 (514) 457 4522
Fax: +1 (514) 457 6151
Email: info@nexiabiotech.com
URL: http://www.nexiabiotech.com/.