Tyber Medical Announces a Statistically Significant Reduction of Bacteria

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Feb. 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Tyber Medical, LLC, a privately held medical device company focused on developing innovative orthopedic and spine devices for private label opportunities, announces findings from research ongoing at Northeastern University that demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in bacteria on implant surfaces processed with BioTy™, a Modified Surface Treatment. The ground breaking research performed at Thomas J. Webster’s Nanomedicine Lab at Northeastern University establishes that BioTy™, a Modified Surface Treatment, resulted in a statistically significant reduction of Staphylococcus Aureus, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, and antibiotic resistant E. Coli without the use of pharmacological agents.   An estimated $9.8 billion is spent each year treating hospital-acquired infections of which surgical site infections represented the largest source of infection.[1] The source of infection begins with bacteria introduced intraoperatively, or in some instance post-operatively, and subsequently colonizing the surface of medical devices to form a highly antibiotic resistant biofilm. The current treatment of surgical site infection requires an infected patient to undergo a rigorous treatment with antibiotics, and in some instances, multiple surgical procedures to eliminate the infection. Recently, health insurance programs are transitioning to bundled payment, which is one lump sum payment to cover patient treatment over a set time period. While the intention of the bundled payments is aimed at driving down overall health care cost, the hospital system will have to absorb infection related costs, such as the removal of hardware and follow-up treatment procedures. The research occurring at Northeastern University with BioTy™ is focused on providing a preventative long term solution to minimize the risk of health care associated infections on medical devices. “We have shown, for the first time, that nano-scale surface features alone can reduce implant infection without resorting to the use of antibiotics, which has clearly been shown over the past decade to be a failed attempt to eradicate implant infections. The process we are developing with Tyber Medical is destined to revolutionize the medical device field,” said Dr. Thomas J. Webster, Principal Investigator and the Art Zafiropoulo Chair and Professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University; President, U.S. Society For Biomaterials; Editor, International Journal of Nanomedicine; and Fellow, AANM, AIMBE, BMES. “Our research has shown that this versatile surface treatment process alters surface energy to eliminate gram negative, gram positive and even antibiotic resistant bacteria while promoting bone cell functions. It does not employ pharmaceutical agents which can have adverse effects in the body but rather the surface is re-engineered to possess such promising properties.” Tyber Medical is currently in the process of commercializing their first product incorporating the BioTy™ technology and is exploring multiple commercialization strategies. Additional information about Tyber Medical’s line of products can be found at http://tybermedical.com/ or call (866) 761-0933. About Tyber Medical: Tyber Medical, LLC, Morristown, New Jersey, a private labeler Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), is creating new pathways to regulatory approved implants and instruments for orthopedic companies, large distributors, and hospital organizations. Tyber Medical designs and develops full class II orthopedic systems, verifies and validates those systems using a QSR and ISO 13485 certified quality system, and pursues and maintains both US (FDA 510k) and OUS (CE Mark) regulatory approvals. Current products include the opening osteotomy system, headless compression screws, cervical plating system, lateral retractor system, and spinal interbody spacers featuring both standard sterile and non-sterile PEEK and TyPEEK®, a proprietary titanium plasma sprayed PEEK. For more information, please visit www.tybermedical.com.   1 Zimlichman E., et al.; JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(22):2039-2046 SOURCE Tyber Medical, LLC