Estonian medical technology company Nanordica Medical has raised €1.6 million to launch its wound dressing, which uses its proprietary Premotiv nanotechnology to accelerate the healing of chronic wounds.
In a randomised controlled trial involving 30 patients with diabetic foot ulcers, the company’s dressing reduced wound area by 43% after just one week of treatment, compared with 13% for standard silver dressings. The study was recently published in the scientific journal Journal of Wound Care.
According to the company, around 100 million people worldwide live with chronic wounds that fail to heal.
“More than half of these wounds become infected, often leading to severe complications such as sepsis, amputation and death,” the company said.
Nanordica Medical’s wound dressing combines a wound-contact layer, an absorbent layer and a smart synergistic nanoparticle combination. Image by Nanordica Medical.
Diabetic foot ulcers are the leading cause of infections and leg amputations among chronic wounds. Every 20 seconds, someone with diabetes loses a leg to amputation. Often described as a “silent killer”, diabetic foot ulcers have five-year mortality rates and treatment costs comparable to those of cancer, the company said in a statement.
Preventing infection and promoting healing simultaneously
“Systemic antibiotics are currently the only treatment recommended for infected wounds by diabetic foot ulcer treatment guidelines. However, they often fail to reach wound sites at sufficient concentrations. Their use is also increasingly restricted because of the rise of antimicrobial resistance,” the company said.
“Existing antibacterial dressings are not recommended by wound care guidelines, largely because most lack clinical evidence. In addition, to treat infection effectively, many antibacterial dressings contain high concentrations of antibacterial agents, which can delay healing by damaging healthy skin cells.”
Nanordica Medical aims to address this challenge with technology that prevents infection and promotes wound healing at the same time. By overcoming the longstanding trade-off between antimicrobial activity and safety for skin cells, the company says its technology enables faster wound healing and is suitable for both infected wounds and wounds at risk of infection.
Nanordica Medical’s wound dressing uses Premotiv nanotechnology to help chronic wounds heal faster. Image by Nanordica Medical.
In addition to its published pilot study involving 30 patients, Nanordica is currently conducting a multicentre, double-blind, randomised clinical trial among patients with diabetic foot ulcers. With more than 120 patients already enrolled, it is one of the largest studies of its kind, the company said.
Nanordica launched its first veterinary wound-care product, Ravimus Vet, in 2023. The product has received positive market acceptance and is currently distributed in six countries. The company was founded in Estonia by a team of medical doctors and scientific researchers, led by Olesja Bondarenko.
