(Research Triangle Park, N.C.) Humacyte, Inc. and Xcellerex, Inc. have entered into an initial strategic collaboration for Xcellerex to develop a novel manufacturing process that will enable the production of Humacyte’s lead regenerative medicine product using Xcellerex’s XDR single use bioreactor system in its FlexFactory®. Humacyte’s product is a large diameter vascular graft that is based on its innovative and proprietary platform technology for engineering human, extracellular matrix-based tissues that have properties that are similar to native tissues. Humacyte’s vascular grafts represent a breakthrough that will first be used for arterio-venous access in patients on hemodialysis and eventually would be used as a replacement of diseased or damaged blood vessels. Xcellerex will provide development expertise and product manufacturing in exchange for manufacturing development fees from Humacyte. Humacyte will utilize the initial grafts produced under this collaboration for preclinical development, and the parties may continue their collaboration for the development of large scale manufacturing of vascular grafts for transplantation for clinical and commercial use. The FlexFactory will enable Humacyte to later scale up its production to meet late stage clinical and worldwide commercial market demands. The technology for cultivation of vascular grafts was developed by Humacyte using small-scale bioreactors that produced one graft at a time. The grafts have successfully completed animal tests, enabling Humacyte to begin scale up for manufacturing of grafts for human clinical trials and eventually commercial production. The collaboration is partially funded by a Small Business Innovation Research grant awarded to the companies by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (more…)

(Apex, N.C.) Excel Physical Therapy in Apex has launched a new, informative website detailing the six-year-old clinic’s personalized approach to hands-on care for adults, teens, kids and seniors rehabbing injuries or recovering from surgery. The website, www.xlpt.net, provides insight for patients and referring physicians into Excel’s consultative care model incorporating manual therapeutic techniques at their fully equipped PT clinic and customized patient home exercise programs. (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) North Carolina home medical equipment service providers have donated truckloads of durable medical equipment to the people of Haiti in the five weeks since that country’s devastating earthquake, according to the North Carolina Association for Medical Equipment Services (NCAMES). (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) LipoScience, Inc., a leading developer of medical diagnostics using proprietary applications of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, announced today that Richard O. Brajer, the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will be presenting at the 2010 UBS Global Healthcare Services Conference on Monday, February 8, at 1:30 p.m., EST, at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) North Carolina’s leader in home medical equipment advocacy and education, NCAMES, has launched a completely refurbished website as an online resource for home health care patients, providers and the general public. The new site can be easily accessed at www.ncames.org. (more…)

(Charlotte, N.C.) North Carolina’s leader in home medical equipment advocacy and education, NCAMES, recently hosted the fourth in a series of instructional seminars on understanding and working with complex new Federal regulations affecting hundreds of local businesses and thousands of patients across the state. (more…)

(Research Triangle Park, N.C.) Richard Martin, CFO of Entegrion, joined forty-four distinguished professionals as Triangle Business Leader and BDO Seidman LLP’s 2009 Top CFO’s of the Triangle. The 2009 Top CFO winners were selected out of 140 nominations from the categories of Financial Services, Infrastructure, Real Estate, Tech & Telecom, Business Services, and Products & Services. The Triangle’s Top CFOs were recognized at the Briar Creek Country Club held on the evening of October 13th.  Many of the area’s top CFO’s were in attendance and the keynote speaker for the event was Frank G. Paci, Executive VP of Business Operations, CFO of The Pantry, Inc. (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) SAGE SOLUTIONS, INC. today announced the market release of its Drain Pouch Management Gown™ (DPM Gown™), a uniquely engineered patient gown, designed to manage drain bulb pouches during post-surgical recovery. The DPM Gown™ features patent pending, two-way pockets that securely hold drain bulbs in place. Four separate pockets accommodate a series of drain bulbs while giving patients freedom to comfortably move about. This gown is crafted of fabric treated with Microbe Shield™, a durable non-migrating treatment that inhibits bacteria growth, keeping it cleaner and fresher longer. The fabric has a silk-like feel and its smooth non-abrading surface protects sensitive skin during treatment and recovery. The DPM Gown™ is also lint free, which prevents bacteria and viruses from being transferred to wounds by the fabric. SAGE SOLUTIONS, INC. has also designed a standard hospital gown using this protective fabric. (more…)

(Cary, N.C.) CertifiGroup, a North Carolina testing laboratory, is offering special programs for US companies who are preparing to sell products in Europe. Since the creation of the “CE marking” system, it has become more obvious over the years that this was not just a “Free trade” arrangement for the countries in the European Union. In recent years, companies shipping products to European ports have had entire shipments delayed and even returned, for not bearing the CE mark, or for missing or incorrect paperwork. With these occurrences, it is now clear that these regulations were also intended to be a trade barrier for companies outside of the EU. (more…)

(Research Triangle Park, N.C.) Entegrion, Inc., a privately owned life sciences product development company specializing in technologies for hemorrhage control, resuscitation, and tissue repair, was a winner in the 2009 New Product & Technology Awards. This national program, presented by the Mature Market Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for the senior market, is the first awards program of its kind to recognize the most innovative products and services for older adults and their families. (more…)

(Apex, N.C.) NCTechNews, North Carolina’s technology news source, is accepting submissions from business and organizations to be listed in the publication’s North Carolina Technology Resources Guide. (more…)

(Greenville, N.C.) Technology has revolutionized how individuals manage chronic diseases, empowering patients to monitor important health indicators in the comfort of their own homes. Where once patients might have waited days, or even weeks, to learn test results, telemedicine is helping to streamline this and many other medical processes. (more…)