Leading Canadian Hospitals Quick to Use New Implantable Antibiotic for Prevention and Treatment of Surgical Infections

Published Wednesday, April 15 2009

TORONTO – 35 Leading Canadian hospitals in Ontario and Quebec have now begun using a dramatically new and effective approach to prevent and treat deadly and costly surgical site infections (SSIs). Collatamp G is an implantable form of antibiotic that is left-behind in the surgical wound prior to closure. By delivering high-doses of antibiotic directly at the site of risk, Collatamp G avoids the toxicity and side effects associated with systemic (IV) antibiotics. Collatamp G is used in addition to current best practices in SSI prevention and is clinically proven to reduce SSIs by a dramatic 50-85%.

Introduced mid-2008 by Mississauga-based Theramed Corporation, Collatamp G is now in use at over 35 Ontario and Quebec hospitals, ranging from world-renowned academic medical centres to safety and cost-conscious community hospitals. In just a few short months, Collatamp G has been used successfully in more than 300 Canadian patients undergoing general, orthopaedic, cardiac, vascular and plastic surgery, and for diabetic foot ulcers. Worldwide, Collatamp G has been used in over 2 million patients over 20 years with no reported adverse events. Collatamp G received Health Canada approval in 2007 and has subsequently been granted Fast Track Development status by the United States FDA.

Today’s standard of care for SSI prevention includes IV antibiotics, appropriate hair removal, maintenance of blood sugar levels and body temperature. Despite this, however, 50,000 Canadians develop a life-threatening SSI annually. Patients who are overweight, have diabetes, are elderly, have weakened immune systems, or are undergoing lengthy or "dirty" surgical procedures are at particularly high-risk for developing a life-threatening SSI.

For this group of patients, Collatamp G, a collagen sponge containing high doses of the proven antibiotic gentamicin, provides an important extra level of protection. Used with the above best-practices, Collatamp G delivers a dramatic, 50-85% reduction in SSI risk, and significant cost savings to Canadian hospitals.

About Surgical Site Infections

Often overlooked and overshadowed by infections like MRSA and C. difficile, SSIs are a significant issue in the Canadian healthcare system, representing the second most common cause of hospital adverse events. 50,000 Canadian patients annually develop a post-operative infection exposing them to double the risk of dying, five times the chance of being readmitted to hospital, a 60% greater chance of requiring time in the intensive care unit, and eight additional days of hospitalization on average. As a result, SSIs cost our already strained Canadian healthcare system over $200 million, and 400,000 bed days annually.

About Collatamp G

For high-risk patients, Collatamp G provides an important extra level of protection. Collatamp G, a collagen sponge containing high doses of the proven antibiotic gentamicin, is inserted into the surgical wound prior to closure and over the following days releases antibiotic directly to the site where it is needed, at doses high enough to kill even resistant bacteria. This ability to deliver local antibiotics is a new approach for surgeons and overcomes the major problem with IV antibiotics: the inability, due to toxicity concerns and side effects, to use high enough antibiotic doses to be effective . Also, in patients who are elderly or have diabetes, poor circulation often hinders the ability of the circulating IV antibiotic to get to the target site where it is actually needed.

For Further Information

Stephen McElroy
Chief Commercial Officer
Theramed Corporation
800-305-4441
smcelroy@theramed.com
www.collatampg.ca/journalists