Unlike many potential investments in healthcare, Choice Therapeutics’ TheraBond 3D Antimicrobial Barrier Systems are already on the market. TheraBond 3D dressings are used at leading hospitals, and they are the most innovative products for management of serious burns, non-healing wounds, and the prevention of surgical site infection.  Now for the rest of the story….

Millions of people with severe burns, venous leg ulcers, and diabetic foot ulcers suffer needlessly because their antimicrobial dressings become saturated.  When the skin around a wound retains too much moisture, healing is delayed or stopped, and patient misery is increased. Longer healing cycles cost more – a major issue in today’s budget-sensitive environment.

Until now, there has been no antimicrobial dressing that provides an optimal healing environment. Current technology leaves wounds too wet. This problem has been overcome with the introduction of Choice Therapeutics’ “smart fabric” technology—an integral feature of Therabond 3D dressings.

TheraBond 3D^® Antimicrobial Systems

TheraBond 3D^® is truly the “New Dimension” in wound care.

TheraBond 3D is the combination of two unique technologies in ionic silver plating and advanced, three-dimensional fabrics.

Ionic Silver Plating Technology

The silver plating process fuses silver to over 99% of the fabric’s surface area. When the fabric is moistened, the silver ionizes and begins killing pathogens within 15 minutes. Therapeutic antimicrobial activity continues for up to 14 days.

3D "Smart" Fabric Design

The three-dimensional “smart” fabric transfers fluid away from the wound into an inexpensive, absorbent, outer dressing such as gauze. This creates an optimal healing environment. Only the absorbent, secondary dressing is changed. For patients, this means there are fewer dressing changes, which are painful and disrupt wound healing. For clinicians, TheraBond 3D minimizes time and reduces costs.

Why Silver?

As an antimicrobial, silver has multiple mechanisms of action including altering cell membrane permeability, changes in DNA, destroys proteins/enzymes vital to life, and inhibits cell respiration. It is believed that microorganisms have not become resistant to ionic silver because it achieves its antimicrobial effect through these multiple pathways.

Its broad spectrum of action, lack of antimicrobial resistance, and proven safety record make ionic silver very attractive for clinical use.

TheraBond 3D^® is a platform technology that can be configured to meet multiple clinical needs. Today, the product is made of an exclusive, three-dimensional nylon, and is the softest, most comformable wound dressing on the market. The product currently comes in three designs: contacts, wraps, and islands:

TheraBond 3D^® is known to be effective and provides a cost effective solution to the following types of wound.

Burns Management

The burn market is an established market with dissatisfied clinicians and patients.    Clinicians in this market constantly search for products that maximize comfort, minimize the risk of infection and improve outcomes. Choice’s burn program is targeted at the 128 American Burn Association Centers that treat the majority of serious (more than 15% of the body) burns in the U.S. TheraBond 3D® provides unmatched fluid management with sustained ionic silver release through a cost-effective dressing.

Non-Healing, Chronic Wounds

Many wounds resist healing due to age, diseases such as diabete and associated medical complications, compromised immune systems, and other causes. These wounds are especially vulnerable to infection, which can be life threatening.  Without a proper wound healing environment, they may never heal, leading to a poor patient lifestyle and imposing great cost on the healthcare system. When poor healing and infection are primary clinical concerns, TheraBond 3D® offers compelling clinical and economic advantages, especially for venous leg uclers and diabetic foot ulcers.

Surgical Site Infection

Immediately following surgery, the surgical incision is at risk for infection. Do you know someone who has had a post-operative infection? The results of an infection can be devastating and create costs that range up to and over $100,000.

TheraBond 3D®creates an antimicrobial barrier that protects the surgical site.

Choice Therapeutics has already made significant progress in promoting three-dimensional “smart fabrics” to the wound care market. Here's what we've accomplished so far:

• Regulatory - FDA and CE Mark - Approvals
• Growing revenue and acceptance by Key Opinion Leaders
• Relationships that facilitate sales established:

• MedAssets contract covering hundreds of hospitals
• 32-hospital Mercy Health System Group Purchasing contract signed 
• Home health care products now distributed through McKesson

• In less than three years, relationships established in 20% of the U.S. burn market
• 3 non-exclusive master distributors put in place to drive international sales
• Growing revenue in 2013, accelerating from there

Our commitment is to continue to bring technology to bear on the unmet clinical and economic needs of wound care. The management team is a focused group who have worked together for over 20 years and have previously built successful companies.

E. James Hutchens, Chief Executive Officer is a proven entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the medical device industry with both large companies—Smith & Nephew, Millipore, and C.R. Bard--and early-stage companies – Microvasive Endoscopy (which became Boston Scientific). He was also the founder of Microsurge, which was a minimally invasive surgical company that he successfully sold. Jim is a member of the Board of Directors of the Faulkner Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

Stephen A. Sandler, Chief Financial Officer, has over 25 years of experience in providing strategic and tactical marketing, and financial services for a wide range of medical device companies. Mr. Sandler was the president of SRK Group, a leading marketing strategy and communications firm serving the life sciences industry. Steve began his career with Peat Marwick, Mitchell & Company (now KPMG), He passed the CPA examination and graduated University of Pennsylvania Wharton School.

Milan Robbins, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development
Milan Robbins has over 22 years of medical device industry experience across a broad spectrum of markets, products and medical specialties. Mr. Robbins was Executive Vice President of SRK Group, Inc., a strategic marketing and communications consulting firm whose clients ranged from start-ups to Boston Scientific. He is a registered nurse, who after 12 years of clinical practice, entered the medical device industry.

Steve Ruggles, VP, QA/RA
Mr. Ruggles has over 30 years of experience in the medical “start-up” world as well as major health care companies such as C.R. Bard and Becton Dickinson. Specifically, his experience includes domestic and international regulatory affairs, manufacturing quality assurance, and supply chain management. Mr. Ruggles has expertise in multiple medical device technologies.

Michael G. Vergano, Vice President Operations has considerable experience in “start-ups” as well as major health companies such as Boston Scientific Corporation. His expertise ranges from project management, product development, packaging, operations, manufacturing engineering, to system/process design and validation. He is the holder of 11 medical device patents.

For more information, please contact Jim Hutchens, CEO (jhutchens@choicetherapeutics.com, 617/571-6006) or Steve Sandler, CFO (ssandler@choicetherapeutics.com, 617/510-5251) to find out more.