ICN2 spin-off Tirecat Health Receives €170,000 to Develop Regenerative Membranes for Human Skin

by Chema Arcos

This innovative technology will help improve healing and quality of life for patients with burns, ulcers or diabetic foot. It is also a 'bio-inspired' product that mimics the natural adhesive used by mussels to adhere to marine rocks.

There is currently a lack of effective regenerative medicine solutions to help people with severe burns and ulcers. Although several treatments are available, recovery times are usually too long, and the expected results are not always achieved. Recently, the new ICN2 and CSIC spin-off Tirecat Health has raised €170,000 from the fund management company Grow Venture Partners to advance the development of adhesive regenerative membranes for human skin.

Their technology is designed to treat chronic wounds, burns and diabetic foot complications, accelerating tissue regeneration by up to 40%. Its antimicrobial properties also help prevent infection. In addition, its safety and biocompatibility have been tested and demonstrated in preclinical studies.

Nature-inspired solutions

The development of these regenerative membranes is led by Dr Salvio Suárez, senior researcher in the ICN2 Nanostructured Functional Materials Group and co-founder of Tirecat Health. It is a technology that protects against lesions and provides support that favours cell regeneration, acting as a kind of 'biological scaffold'. Another of its innovations is related to biomimetics: the adhesive used to stick these membranes to the skin is inspired by the biological mechanism by which mussels adhere to marine rocks. The result is excellent adhesion to the skin and resistance to wet conditions.

In the words of Dr Salvio Suárez, 'Being part of this project from the beginning, and now during its transfer to society, highlights the value of the work done in recent years. I am very excited that it could become a clinical reality in the near future'.

A market on the rise

The first product based on this regenerative membrane technology will be called PyroH. The investment received in this financing round will allow Tirecat Health to strengthen its team and move towards the commercialisation of the product. We are talking about a global market of high strategic value, that of tissue regeneration technologies, estimated to be worth around 22,000 million dollars.

Born in the ICN2 environment, Tirecat benefits from the boost that collaboration with a leading research centre provides. This partnership reinforces ICN2's mission to promote technology transfer and impact on society through cutting-edge projects and initiatives.