Patent Awarded New Anti-Infection Technology

A company that utilizes advanced silver ion technology to address surgical-site and hospital-acquired infections, and is appropriately named Silver Bullet Therapeutics Inc., has received a patent. Company officials explain that the new patent is a continuation of a previous one that significantly enhances the claims for the release of antimicrobial metal ions to prevent infection.

Company officials estimate that in the U.S. alone, more than $9.8 billion is spent annually treating healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), which are often associated with medical devices.

Houdin Dehnad, Ph.D., Silver Bullet Therapeutics Co-Founder and Vice-President of R&D, said “We have known that silver ions, at literally micro-molar concentrations, are particularly effective at forming antimicrobial prophylactic barriers around medical devices. The challenge has been how to create silver ions. Although our earlier patents include the use of a power source or battery to create the ions, it is not the best approach within a living biologic system. We developed a galvanic antimicrobial ion system that is not only biologically compatible, but also protected by our strong IP.”

Recently, Silver Bullet Therapeutics, Inc., received CE Mark approval for the commercial sale of its antimicrobial OrthoFuzIon Bone Screw System, indicated for orthopedic reduction and internal fixation procedures in the European Union. The company is located in San Jose, California and is privately held.