Covestro polycarbonate gives smart device a leg up
Compression innovation
Anaheim, Calif., February 11, 2020 — Circulation is a critical function that ensures nutrients and oxygen are delivered to all the cells in the body. If circulation is poor, it can lead to various conditions that negatively impact a patient’s quality of life, such as swelling (lymphedema, edema), pain, varicose veins, chronic wounds or other conditions.
Israeli-based ElastiMed is addressing this serious issue, utilizing innovative materials in a smart, wearable, active compression device that aims to improve circulation in the legs. Tough, durable Makrolon® 2805 polycarbonate from Covestro helps the prototype device withstand the wear and tear of everyday use. This grade of polycarbonate offers the following attributes:
- Strong, so that it can withstand daily use in a variety of settings
- Lightweight, so that it is comfortable for the patient
- Excellent processability, making it suitable for efficient, one-piece injection molding
“Traditional solutions suffer from a 60% non-compliance rate. We wanted our device to be easy to wear and fit comfortably,” explained ElastiMed CEO, Omer Zelka. “With the materials we selected, we were able to design a device that is highly effective, easy to wear and does not disrupt the patient’s lifestyle, a key element in promoting compliance.”
What sets the device apart, according to ElastiMed, is innovative Electro Active Polymers (EAPs) technology that expands and contracts when stimulated by an electric field. According to the company, smart EAP bands in the compression device wrap around the leg, causing them to squeeze and massage the patient’s leg, mimicking rhythmic calf muscle contractions to promote fluid movement in the leg. The device is IoT compatible, integrating sensors for data generation and compliance monitoring.
The prototype device is now in clinical approvals. ElastiMed expects it to be available globally in 2021.
“We’ve seen firsthand how advances in technology are making it possible to shift treatment from a clinical setting toward home healthcare,” said Doug Hamilton, global healthcare marketing leader, Covestro. “ElastiMed’s device illustrates the role materials play in designing devices that are lightweight, comfortable and look good, making them more appealing to patients.”
Thomas Kostadinov, healthcare segment manager for Covestro in EMEA, agreed: “Our collaboration with ElastiMed is an excellent example of our commitment to our customer’s success, as well as our dedication to helping improve patient experience through the use of our materials.”
Attendees at MD&M West Conference and Exposition, February 11-13, in Anaheim, California, can visit the Covestro booth (#2221) to learn more about the company’s medical applications and materials.
About Covestro LLC:
Covestro LLC is one of the leading producers of high-performance polymers in North America and is part of the global Covestro business, which is among the world’s largest polymer companies with 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, electrical and electronics, and healthcare industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics and the chemical industry itself. Covestro has 30 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 16,800 people at the end of 2018.
Find more information at www.covestro.us or www.solutions.covestro.com/en/materials/plastics.
About ElastiMed:
ElastiMed offers the next generation of smart medical devices. Combining innovative material technology, ElastiMed’s first application is a smart, wearable, active compression device designed to improve circulation in the legs. Our team has developed a patent protected solution, to manipulate EAPs (Electro Active Polymers) for integration in a new generation of smart medical devices. Established in 2015, and backed by the Trendlines Medical Incubator, Pix Vine Capital and private investors, ElastiMed is an Israeli medical device startup. Additional applications utilizing its novel technology include compression devices for different body parts and other medical and non-medical products.
Makrolon® is a registered trademark of Covestro Group.
Covestro Contact:
John Skabardonis, Phone: +1 412 413 5444
John.Skabardonis@covestro.com
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This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
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