Derma Sciences, Inc. (DSCI), a medical device and pharmaceutical company focused on advanced wound care, announces that the US Patent and Trademark Office has issued patent No. 7,714,183 related to the company's Medihoney Calcium Alginate Dressing.

This is the second patent granted in the US covering Derma Sciences' line of proprietary honey-based wound dressings. This new patent further strengthens the intellectual property on the Medihoney line of dressings, especially with regard to the single-use sterile pouched dressings that are most commonly used in the treatment of wounds and burns.

Derma Sciences chairman and chief executive officer Edward J Quilty stated, 'Alginate is an ideal delivery mechanism for Medihoney because it allows this medical-grade honey to reside on the wound site for an extended period of time. Alginates are known for their significant absorption capacity, and can be removed easily from the wound bed without disrupting the healing process.

'This newly issued patent, along with others issued and filed, increases the barriers to entry for any meaningful competition within the honey wound and burn care space. Together with our strong brand identity and first-to-market status, we are confident in our market position,' Quilty added.

Medihoney, the leading global brand of honey-based wound care, is a line of wound and burn dressings containing Active Manuka (Leptospermum) Honey from New Zealand. This unique species of medical-grade honey has been shown in several large-scale, randomized controlled clinical studies to possess unique qualities that help to initiate healing in stalled wounds, and assist with fast debridement of non-viable tissue.

Medihoney dressings are indicated for the management of leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers and pressure ulcers, first and second-degree burns, and traumatic and surgical wounds. Medihoney alginate dressings have proven to be the most popular of all the Medihoney dressings in the US as alginates help to keep large quantities of honey at the wound site, while still absorbing up to 18 times the alginate's weight in wound fluid.

Alginate dressings are one of the most commonly used dressings within the global $1 billion moist wound dressing market. They are highly absorbent, biodegradable wound care products derived from seaweed and have been proven to be highly effective in managing a wide array of exuding wounds. Their ability to form hydrophilic gel helps contain wound secretions and reduces bacterial contamination. They are preferred dressings for a large percentage of chronic wounds that are partial-to-full thickness in depth with moderate-to-heavy amounts of wound exudates.

Derma Sciences is a global medical device and pharmaceutical company focused on wound care. Its Medihoney product is the leading brand of honey-based dressings for the management of wounds and burns.