SolasCure, U.S. Army Partner on Combat Wound Care

SolasCure Ltd. and the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) are teaming up to evaluate SolasCure’s investigational product, Aurase Wound Gel, as a means to manage combat wounds. Aurase Wound Gel is a hydrogel releasing tarumase, a recombinant enzyme derived from medical maggots, which is currently being developed to promote wound healing through debridement and wound bed preparation.

In partnership with USAISR, two non-clinical development projects will be initiated to assess the potential for the enzymatic debridement properties of Aurase Wound Gel to reduce wound biofilm production and/or bioburden in conjunction with standard-of-care in prolonged field care scenarios. Opportunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA complicate wound care by producing toxins and enzymes that damage tissue. They often lead to chronic infections that are hard to eradicate due to biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance. The projects aim to specifically target combat-relevant persistent strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA both in vitro and in vivo.

AISR is recognized as the U.S. Army’s premier research laboratory for improving the care of combat casualties. The collaboration aims to generate non-clinical data that could be used as a first step to validate the use of Aurase Wound Gel in highly challenging combat conditions.

“It is an honour that the U.S. military has identified our technology and chosen to support its ongoing development. We look forward to the outcome of the projects to assess the suitability of Aurase Wound Gel for managing biofilm and bioburden in prolonged combat situations,” SolasCure CEO Lee Harle said.

SolasCure is a pioneering biologics company committed to addressing the issue of inadequate chronic wound debridement and healing. Its product, Aurase Wound Gel, incorporates the biomimicry of medical maggots’ natural processes that clean wounds and promote healing. SolasCure was founded in 2017 as a spin-off from BRAIN Biotech AG, a German biotech company focused on harnessing biological diversity to develop innovative solutions. SolasCure is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

USAMRDC is the Army’s medical material developer, with responsibility for medical research, development, and acquisition in various areas integral to soldier health and resiliency.