The Bactiguard Technology
Bactiguard’s unique infection prevention technology is based on an ultra-thin coating of gold, silver, and palladium which prevents microbes from adhering to the surface of a medical device. The technology is clinically proven to be safe and biocompatible, significantly reducing the risk of medical device-related infections.
The efficacy has been evaluated in over 40 clinical studies involving more than 100,000 patients, showing reduced infection rates in patients treated with Bactiguard-coated medical devices used for more than 48 hours. The results have been published in renowned, peer-reviewed journals.
How it works
Bacteria and other microbes adhere to the surface of medical devices. The bacteria often form a biofilm which makes them more resistant to antibiotics and the patient’s own immune system, resulting in an increased risk of infection.
Bactiguard’s technology is based on an ultra-thin coating of gold, silver, and palladium. When in contact with fluids, a miniscule galvanic effect is created which corresponds to a microscopic stream between the different noble metals. It allows fewer microbes to adhere to the surface, reducing the risk of biofilm formation leading to infection.
The quantities of noble metals used are minimal, and no toxicological or pharmacological amounts are released. To put it in perspective, an amount of noble metals equivalent to the size of a pea can coat an entire football field.
A unique approach
Bactiguard continuously invests in R&D to develop the technology to be able to further apply it to new products, regardless of surfaces or materials. The technology has been successfully applied to titanium, stainless steel, latex, silicone, polymers, ceramic, and textile materials. Since it is approved for implants that can remain in the body for a lifetime, there are many potential areas of use. The coating technology can be used in most areas where high infection rates lead to a medical need for infection prevention and tissue-friendly properties.
Since the coating is ultra-thin, visual, mechanical, or dimensional properties of the coated medical device, such as thickness or rigidity, are not affected. Medical devices with Bactiguard’s infection prevention coating put no additional requirements on sterile barriers or packaging and can be sterilized according to standardized methods. There are no specific requirements for healthcare professionals’ usage procedures or for waste management. The production process is also customizable and can easily be scaled.
Strong patent and protection of the technology
Bactiguard’s technology has strong protection across different patents within nine relevant patent families. Intellectual property (IP) including patents are an integral part of our strategy, and we continuously monitor and finetune our IP portfolio to keep the highest protection standards. The patent portfolio focuses on the coating, although the coating process is also covered.
The combination of extensive protection of intellectual property and Bactiguard’s specialized knowledge related to both manufacturing and coating processes prevent replication of the unique technology.
Bactiguard strengthened the intellectual property portfolio in 2023 as the European Patent Office granted protection until 2039, which marked the third generation of patents. A US patent was also granted in 2023 which can be maintained until 2040.