Advanced Plasma Products, Inc. (APP), an engineering and applied research company, announced that it is nearing completion of the SBIR phase II grant provided by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The multi-year grant award total is $2.2 million dollars and focused on the development and testing of the Atmospheric Plasma Wound Applicator (APWA) device to treat chronic wounds which are difficult to treat, generally taking months to years to treat with an expected 50 million cases annually.

APP and its partners from the Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University, the University Of Tennessee Health Science Center College Of Medicine – Knoxville, Graduate School of Medicine, (UTHSCCOM-GSM) and the College of Veterinary Medicine of The University of Tennessee are working on the project to demonstrate disinfection of biofilm infection within a chronic wound.

"We're excited to work with Advanced Plasma Products, Inc. and to apply a new value-based model to medical innovation.  Rather than just developing the technology and hoping it will have value in the market, we are looking at a value-based development plan together to see if the technology can decrease costs at the same time as it contributes to improved outcomes and patient satisfaction for definable wound patient groups.  The potential value of this technology is to decrease costs with shortened wound healing times and less negative experience (less/no pain, shorter duration of treatment, etc.) for the patient.  These value-based outcomes will be considered throughout the development process," said Bruce Ramshaw, MD, FACS, Chair of Surgery at The University of Tennessee Medical Center and UTHSCCOM-GSM.

The company intends to continue developing the APWA device working closely with the UTHSCCOM-GSM. Testing will include toxicity studies and further demonstration of disinfection and wound healing with additional in vivo animal models.

Upon a successful outcome, APP plans to prepare an IRB protocol in collaboration with UTHSCCOM-GSM for treating venous leg ulcers.  Chronic venous disease is the most common cause of lower extremity ulcers occurring in 70% to 90% of leg ulcer cases.  If the IRB is approved, a small number of patients will be selected for treatment at The University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Advanced Plasma Products, Inc. is an engineering and applied research company with expertise in developing atmospheric plasma products primarily for the healthcare and agricultural sector. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Applied Science Products (OTC: APLD).  

Together, The University of Tennessee Medical Center and University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine – Knoxville, Graduate School of Medicine comprise the only academic medical center in East Tennessee.