WOUNDCHEK™ Protease Status receives market clearance in Australia

FALL RIVER, Mass.

WOUNDCHEK™ Laboratories announced today that WOUNDCHEK™ Protease Status, the world’s first point of care wound diagnostic for chronic wounds, has received market clearance from the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration. Intermed Medical Pty Ltd has been appointed as distributor for the product in Australia and New Zealand.

WOUNDCHEK™ Protease Status, already available in Europe, Canada & South Africa, detects a chronic inflammatory response in the wound, as indicated by elevated human protease activity (EPA) and was developed to help guide treatment decisions to enable improved outcomes and more cost effective care. “Protease activity is an essential part of wound healing. However, once out of control, and if left unchecked, proteases in wounds may cause sufficient damage.… to impair healing and destroy normal tissue.” (Wounds International Consensus “The role of proteases in wound healing”, 2011, pp1).

Also currently in clinical trial is a new point of care test to detect when bacteria in the wound have become pathogenic, as indicated by bacterial protease activity (BPA). This test will help identify wounds in which bacteria may be delaying healing, which could assist clinicians in determining when interventions to reduce bacterial burden are indicated, particularly in chronic wounds with no obvious signs of infection.

Jack Wilkens, CEO of WOUNDCHEK™ Laboratories, commented: “We are delighted with the news that our first product has been cleared for sale in Australia and will be distributed by Intermed Medical Pty Ltd, a company with a strong track record in marketing innovative wound care products. Currently, the global cost of ineffective treatment is estimated to be $20-25 billion annually. Our vision is to provide clinicians with accurate, timely, actionable, and easy to access information, leading to improved therapeutic outcomes and more cost effective care through point of care wound diagnostics.”

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