The history of Bactiguard

A Swedish innovation

At Bactiguard, our journey began in 2005, building on technology that dates back to 1912 with Nobel laureate Gustav Dahlén. Our innovative infection prevention technology, developed by Billy Södervall in the 1970s, received FDA approval in 1994. Over the years, we’ve formed strategic partnerships, including with BD in 1990 and Zimmer Biomet in 2019. We’ve launched numerous infection prevention products, expanded our portfolio, and went public in 2014. Recent milestones include acquiring Vigilenz Medical Devices and expanding our wound care range. Today, we focus on licensing and global market expansion, driving forward our mission to enhance patient safety worldwide.

2024

2024

New head office in downtown Stockholm.

 

2024

2023

Bactiguard receives first MDR product approval, for BIP Foley Catheter.
Embarks on sharpened strategy with full focus on Licensing.

2021

Bactiguard-coated Zimmer Biomet trauma implants receive European regulatory clearance and are launched in select EMEA markets.

Bactiguard Wound Care system is launched in select markets in Europe.

Aniocyn – a new wound care range for pets is launched in the Nordic countries together with Musti Group.

 

2020

Acquisition of Malaysian Vigilenz Medical Devices.

Launch of BIP Foley TempSensor, a urinary catheter which combines continuous temperature monitoring with Bactiguard’s infection prevention technology.

Launch of Hydrocyn Advanced disinfectant, a non-alcoholic disinfectant for skin and surfaces, proven effective against the new Coronavirus.

 

2019

The CE marking is a strong contributing factor to Bactiguard being able to conclude a global, exclusive licensing agreement with American Zimmer Biomet for orthopedic trauma implants.

 

2018

Orthopedic trauma implants in titanium with Bactiguard’s infection prevention technology receive the CE mark and can thus begin to be sold and used in healthcare in markets that apply EU quality standards.

License agreement is made with China’s largest manufacturer of medical devices, Well Lead for urinary catheters in China.

The BIP Foley catheter is launched in two new variants; Female and Tiemann, while the venous catheter BIP CVC is launched with Raulerson syringe.

 

2017

A development project about advanced injection catheters with Bactiguard coating starts with Swedish Smartwise. Advanced injection systems allow medication and other types of treatment to be delivered directly to damaged tissue in vital organs, for example after a stroke or a heart attack.

 

2016

BIP ETT Evac is launched an endotracheal tube with subglottic secretion drainage.

 

2015

New license agreement with Vigilenz Medical Devices for orthopedic trauma implants in Southeast Asia.

 

2014

In June 2014, Bactiguard was floated on the stock exchange through an IPO, with the purpose of refinancing the company and enabling market expansion. The shares are listed and traded on the NASDAQ Stockholm under the stock symbol BACTI B.

At the end of 2014, the head office will be moved to a newly built facility on Alfred Nobels Allé in Tullinge, south of Stockholm. The new office makes it possible to gather all skills and functions such as sales and marketing, staff functions, product development and production under one roof.

The establishment in Karolinska Institutet Science Park also promotes increased collaboration and proximity to research and education at Karolinska Institutet and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, as well as with healthcare at Karolinska University Hospital.

 

2013

The product portfolio is expanded with central venous catheters (BIP CVC) and endotracheal tubes (BIP ETT) with Bactiguard coating. The same year, a production unit is established in Malaysia, to manufacture the latex Foley catheters.

 

2008

In 2008, the BIP Foley urinary catheter in latex was introduced on the market and the following year, the catheter was also launched in silicone.

 

2006

In 2006, a development and production unit was established in Markaryd, in the south of Sweden, to focus on the further development of the technology.
The same year, work begins with developing a new product portfolio, Bactiguard Infection Protection (BIP).

2005

In 2005, Bactiguard AB is founded in Sweden and acquires the business and technology from the previous owner. Bactiguard now has the ambition to take technology one step further by developing its own portfolio of infection prevention products for healthcare.

 

1994

In 1994, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves Bard’s urinary catheters Bardex IC and Lubrisil IC with Bactiguard coating (FDA 510k approval). The following year, the catheters are launched on the American market and today they are the market leaders in the USA and Japan.

1990

The company enters a partnership with the US medical device company BD (Becton, Dickinson & Company), previously C.R. Bard.

1986

Initial clinical trials are performed.

 

1978

Billy Södervall, the innovator behind the Bactiguard technology, refined the technique. In the 1970s, he started applying noble metal coatings to medical devices. The results proved very effective, and he applied for patents in the USA.

 

1912

The Bactiguard technology stems from the Swedish Nobel Prize laureate in in physics 1912, Gustav Dahlén, the man behind the famous AGA Lighthouse. Gustav Dahlén had an apprentice called Axel Bergström, who further developed the technique of applying a thin layer of metals to non-conductive materials. Axel then passed this knowledge on to his apprentice, Billy Södervall.