Press Releases

September 14, 2005
Stratatech Receives another NIH Grant

Stratatech Corporation has received a $154,000 Phase I STTR Grant from the National Institute of Aging. Under this Grant, Stratatech will continue its work to develop cell-based gene therapy products for the use in the treatment of chronic skin ulcers, such as venous stasis and pressure ulcers, which are particularly problematic for the aged population. These ulcers impact an elderly patient's quality of life, often resulting in serious complications such as pain, infection, and the potentially devastating consequence of amputation. It is estimated that in the United States alone, over 1,000,000 people annually suffer from either chronic venous stasis or pressure ulcers.

Chronic ulcers typically exhibit elevated protease activity resulting in poor wound healing. To date no biological treatment options specifically targeting the proteolytic nature of chronic wounds have been developed and marketed. Stratatech is working to develop human skin substitutes which will neutralize the proteolytic environment in chronic wounds, thereby hastening their healing.

Stratatech, which currently has 25 employees, was established in 2000 and currently operates within the MGE Innovation Center in University Research Park in Madison, WI. In addition to its flagship product, StrataGraft™ skin tissue for the treatment of burn victims, Stratatech is developing a portfolio of engineered skin tissue products that are genetically modified to promote the healing of chronic wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, venous stasis ulcers and pressure ulcers (bedsores). Stratatech’s products are based on a patented, unique source of pathogen-free human skin cells that was identified at the University of Wisconsin.