Ultra-low Fouling and Anti-infective and Anti-thrombotic Nitric Oxide Releasing Intravascular Catheters

Abstract Nytricx is developing a new class of Nitric Oxide (NO)-releasing intravascular medical catheters to combat infection and thrombosis associated with indwelling vascular catheters. NO gas is a natural anti-infective and anti-thrombotic human product principally released from blood vessels and immune cells. Nytricx NO-releasing technology to the catheter surfaces via a polymer matrix, mimics the natural release by cells to prevent infection and thrombosis. The Nytricx technology is designed to combine anti-infective and anti-thrombotic properties of Nitric Oxide (NO) release at the internal and external catheter interfaces, which may be an extremely effective means to prolong catheter life, decrease chronic infection, and blood clotting (thrombosis) associated with intravascular catheters. The combination of a novel topcoats with NO gas release from the base silicone polymer is unique, especially considering that the NO donor itself stays embedded in the polymer with only the NO gas escaping to affect the external and internal catheter environments. The topcoat also affects biofilm formation which is also a chronic problem associated with catheter infections preventing effective antibiotic therapy. Nytricx NO-releasing technology represents a disruptive innovation that will result in saving patients’ lives and cutting medical costs, especially those related to hospital acquired blood steam infections and thrombosis, associated with intravascular catheters.