Press Releases

February 2, 2006
Stratatech Awarded $100,000 NIH Grant

Stratatech Corporation has received a $100,000 Phase I STTR Grant from the National Cancer Institute. This Grant will allow Stratatech to develop an innovative human tumor invasion model for cancer research to facilitate the identification of new anti-tumor therapeutics. More than 1,000,000 cases of non-melanoma cancer of skin and mucosa are diagnosed each year. Development of an early stage tumor invasion model is needed to identify new drugs and/or agents that can be used to abrogate the invasion of tumors. Stratatech’s unique model will permit real-time monitoring of tumor cell growth within normally developed, stratified skin tissue.

Stratatech, which currently has 27 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). Development of model systems for use by the pharmaceutical industry represents a new field of research for Stratatech. Stratatech’s products are based on a patented, unique source of pathogen-free human skin cells that was identified at the University of Wisconsin.