USPTO Issues New Patent to Cohera Medical

Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Cohera Medical Inc, a developer of absorbable surgical adhesives and sealants, reports that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued the company patent number 8,652,293, titled “Hydrophilic Biodegradable Adhesives.”

The patent relates to a broad platform of novel adhesives including the company’s initial commercial product TissuGlu surgical adhesive, a surgical adhesive used for large-flap tissue approximation. The adhesives covered by the patent are high-strength, completely synthetic and resorbable. In addition, according to the company, the adhesives have easy application in the operating room and are biocompatible for internal human use. Specifically, this patent includes methods of application of the adhesives as well as variations of adhesives specific to surgical mesh fixation, such as used in hernia repair. These formulas represent a potential breakthrough in the way that surgical meshes are fixated to the tissues, which is most commonly performed using invasive sutures or metal staples and tacks. The patent describes Cohera Medical’s unique biodegradable adhesive that could potentially eliminate these invasive methods.

“The unique chemistry of Cohera’s synthetic adhesives is a breakthrough discovery in the field of surgical adhesives,” said Eric Beckman, Ph.D., the patent’s primary inventor. “The development of strong biodegradable adhesives to fixate surgical mesh in a non-invasive manner is a large step forward in providing surgeons and patients a better alternative to traditional methods.”  

“We are excited to add this patent to our growing intellectual property portfolio and continue to build our leadership position in internal surgical adhesives,” said Patrick Daly, president and CEO of Cohera Medical.

The Company’s first product, TissuGlu, is an internal surgical adhesive for large-flap surgeries, such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), that help eliminate or reduce fluid accumulation and the need for post surgical drains. TissuGlu’s chemical composition is resorbable, non-toxic, forms a bond between tissue layers and allows for natural healing, which ultimately may enable faster recovery.

TissuGlu has received CE Marking approval to be sold in the European Union. Outside of the EU, TissuGlu and the other Cohera products currently are indicated for investigational use only and have not yet been approved for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.