PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Derma Sciences, Inc. , a specialty medical device and pharmaceutical company focused on advanced wound care, today released an independent laboratory report indicating that the company’s BIOGUARD barrier gauze dressings exhibit high antiviral efficacy against the H1N1 virus. This new information increases the applicability of the dressings, which have already been shown to have high efficacy against virulent bacteria such as MRSA.
Although human-to-human transmission of H1N1 virus can occur through coughing or sneezing by people infected with the influenza virus, or by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching one’s mouth or nose, the potential also exists of transmission via cross-contamination during wound dressing changes. This is especially true if the dressing is soaked with wound fluid, which can increase the time the virus survives in the dressing. When an infected wound’s dressing is changed, pathogens within the dressing are potentially made airborne, increasing the risk of infection to those in the immediate vicinity. Wound care patients also run the risk of being infected by a virus as their dressings are changed. The H1N1 virus can be easily transmitted from the wound dressings to the hands of healthcare workers, while small airborne droplets of wound fluid with H1N1 can be inhaled by doctors, nurses or patients.
Quilty added that use of BIOGUARD dressings involve virtually no chance of developing resistant bacterial strains, making the dressing ideal for widespread prophylactic usage. “From a global perspective, our objective is to develop BIOGUARD(TM) as the cost-effective dressing that clinicians utilize for infection prevention. Its patented design makes it an ideal dressing for this use.”
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “estimate” or “continue” are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that certain important factors may affect the Company’s actual results and could cause such results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements which may be made in this release or which are otherwise made by or on behalf of the Company. Factors which may affect the Company’s results include, but are not limited to, product demand, market acceptance, impact of competitive products and prices, product development, completion of an acquisition, commercialization or technological difficulties, the success or failure of negotiations and trade, legal, social and economic risks. Additional factors that could cause or contribute to differences between the Company’s actual results and forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company’s fillings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACT: Edward J. Quilty, Chairman and CEO of Derma Sciences, Inc.,
+1-609-514-4744, equilty@dermasciences.com; or Investor Relations, Jason
Strominger, or Media Relations, Janet Vasquez, both of The Investor
Relations Group, +1-212-825-3210, for Derma Sciences
Web site: http://www.dermasciences.com/
