Project name: CYTAMED
“The project “A universal life-saving protection for medical devices – a new tool for reduction of hospital infections in the global battle against antibiotic resistance”, proposal 946737, was awarded a “Seal of Excellence” in November 2019. In June 2019, CytaCoat received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, SME Instrument Phase 1, under grant agreement No 826846.
At present, antimicrobial substances and silver agent coating are used as preventative measures, while antibiotics are used for treatment following HAIs. These strategies either contribute to antimicrobial resistance or potentially dangerous due to the release of harmful silver substances in the body. To overcome this, CytaCoat has developed a unique and stable antimicrobial coating that uses non-toxic, biocompatible organic compounds that strongly bind to the surface of the device through covalent bonding. This impedes microbial colonization and reduces the likelihood of antimicrobial resistance to the coating. These features distinguish CytaCoat from all competing products on the market. The first application for the coating are neonatal nasal prongs for non-invasive ventilation support, however the coating can be applied to both invasive and non-invasive medical devices. The research performed to date strongly supports CytaCoat’s ability to hinder microbial colonisation. The coating is applied to medical devices using a defined protocol developed by the company. This project will help facilitate the road towards commercialisation. “