Healthcare is the world’s largest service sector, and in recent years there has been a massive growth in interest in nanotechnology as a potential driver for new advances in medical technology and improved treatments for patients.
Nanobiotechnology, integrating physical sciences, molecular engineering, biology, chemistry and biotechnology is leading to significant advances in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, especially in cancer therapy.Nanobiotechnology has been impacting the pharma and healthcare industries for a number of years, in molecular imaging and diagnostics, drug discovery and drug delivery. In the United States nearly 250 nanomedicine products are being used or tested in humans, according to a study published in the January 2013 issue of Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine.
Nanocoating products have been also been widely commercialized in life sciences & healthcare as antibacterial surfaces for medical catheters and wound dressings, in paints and lacquers used to coat operating tables, door knobs and door handles in hospitals and also as ultra-hard porous coatings for surgical and orthopaedic implants such as screws, plates or joint implants
Biomedical investigations of nanoparticles, fullerenes, dendrimers, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, graphene etc. will make their largest impact long-term in drug delivery, biosensing, cancer therapy and biological imaging.
Oasmia Pharmaceutical AB
www.oasmia.com
THE COMPANY
Oasmia Pharmaceutical AB develops new generations of drugs in the field of human and veterinary oncology
THE TECHNOLOGY
The company is developing a patented nanoparticle formulation technology XR-17. XR-17 makes single or multiple APIs water soluble. XR-17, which consist of Vitamin A derivatives forms structures called micelles with the encapsulated active substance. A micelle containing a water insoluble substance consists of the active ingredient surrounded by XR-17 with the hydrophobic, non-polar chain pointing towards the active ingredient and the hydrophilic, polar head pointing outwards. If the active compound is water soluble, the hydrophilic, polar head points inwards. The micelles are extremely small, 20 to 60 nm depending on the API.
Nanoco Group plc
www.nanoco- group.com
THE COMPANY
Nanoco produces heavy metal-free nanomaterials for use in displays, lighting, solar energy and bio-imaging.
THE TECHNOLOGY
Nanoco Group plc and the University College London (UCL), has been awarded more than $500,000 in funding from the Technology Strategy Board to further its investigation of cancer diagnostics using quantum dots. Nanoco’s heavy-metal and cadmium-free quantum dots are a safe way to use fluorescent imaging to conduct cancer diagnostics, specifically related to Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) Mapping.
STF Technologies LLC
www.stf-technologies.com
THE COMPANY
STF Technologies LLC, a spin-off company from the University of Delaware, are working to develop a puncture-resistant surgical gloves.
THE TECHNOLOGY
The company are developing puncture resistant surgical glove that are reinforced by flexible, needle resistant nanocomposite materials made from knit textiles intercalated with shear thickening fluids (STF). STF treated textiles are a class of smart material that respond differently based on the applied stress and have proven applications in stab-resistant soft body-armor. Annually, 100-200 medical professionals die from infections resulting from needlestick injury.
NanoMedTrix, LLC
www.nanomedtrix.com
THE COMPANY
Founded in 2012, NanoMedTrix is developing the next generation of contrast agent using novel nanoparticles.
THE TECHNOLOGY
The company are developing imaging agents for cell tracking based on mesoporous silica. The 50-200 nanometre particles have 3-4 nm pores into which a drug or other bioactive molecule can be loaded, and with further surface functionalization to give the particle contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), ultrasound and fluorescent microscopy.
Nano-Meta Technologies Inc.,
www. nanometatech.com
THE COMPANY
Nano-Meta Technologies is a Purdue University startup. The company’s technology has applications in the fields of data storage, solar and thermal energy conversion and nanoparticle-based thermal therapeutics.
PRODUCTS
The company is developing high-temperature plasmonic metamaterials for application in clinical therapeutics. They are using titanium nitride nanoparticles in clinical therapeutics for cancer treatment.
NuVascular Technologies, Inc
www.biosurfaces.us
THE COMPANY
NuVascular Technologies, Inc., is a spin-off from BioSurfaces Inc. The company holds an exclusive license for its nanotechnology platform, developed using $6.6 million in funding from the National Inst tutes of Health (NIH).
THE TECHNOLOGY
The company’s first device application will focus on manufacturing an artificial blood vessel that will last longer and heal better when treating patients with arterial disease. It is used for lower extremity artery bypass and allows for superior performance due to ECM- like nanofibrous structure and controlled drug delivery.
