Phytoceuticals plant-based wound dressing gains CE Mark

3 Nov 2010

Swiss company Phytoceuticals Ltd has received the CE mark for its novel primary wound dressing, called "1", the first product that will be commercialized from the company’s wound-healing platform.

The product is formulated from a proprietary combination of two plant-derived oils, Neem oil and St John's Wort oil. Neem, Azadirachta indica, is a tree native to S and SE Asia where it has been traditionally used for medicinal purposes, food (young shoots), insecticide (seeds) and for timber. St John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum, is a European herbaceous plant that has also traditionally been used as a herbal medicine (and is now regarded as an invasive weed in many countries).

1 is designed to be effective in a broad range of wound states. It acts as a physical barrier against desiccation and contamination of a wound and prevents adherence of the secondary dressing to the wound. In addition, Neem and St John's Wort oils have a nutritional effect, supporting healthy wound healing and protecting the periwound skin.

“The use of 1 led to an impressive induction of granulate tissue, even in very deep wounds,” said Prof. Thomas Hunziker MD, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland. “1 was very well-accepted by patients since it facilitated painless removal of secondary dressings, and no adverse reactions were observed using 1.”

“1 has been approved in the EU as a medical device. Our strategy is to make 1 available in Switzerland immediately, and then eventually expand internationally, ideally together with a big industry partner,” said Theiler.

“Modern biotechnology is slowly finding its way into the natural extracts industry, with companies being founded that see the development of natural extracts-based remedies on a scientific basis as a significant opportunity,” added Chairman Dr Stephen Rietiker.

 “Like Phytoceuticals, these companies are developing medicines based on natural extracts that enjoy patent protection, establish reliable raw material sourcing, and therefore are able to tap into the global pharmaceutical market — thus becoming an interesting pipeline candidate for big pharmaceutical companies. This is the strategy Phytoceuticals is pursuing on a product-by-product basis.”