Freudenberg's Nonwoven Fabric with a Special Mission

PLYMOUTH, Mich., Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With the help of the novel scaffolene® technology, Freudenberg medical nonwovens specialists have created a solution for positioning drugs exactly where they are needed in the body before they are released in a controlled manner. This unique nonwoven material is opening up new and innovative possibilities in surgical, wound care, and regenerative medicine.

Being in the right place at the right time can be advantageous in life, but it is critically important in medicine. Delivering drugs to precisely the right place in the body is essential in medical treatment. Freudenberg's scaffolene® technology does just that.

This novel technology enables Freudenberg to develop medical nonwovens to the precise requirements of customers in the medical technology and pharmaceutical industry. The nonwoven fabric is made of bioresorbable materials that are absorbed by the body. "For the patient, this has the advantage that no second surgery is needed to remove the product," explained project leader Dr. Denis Reibel. "During production, drugs, enzymes or growth hormones can be incorporated directly into the fabric for later application in surgery, wound healing and regenerative medicine."

In its dry state, scaffolene® is flexible and tear-resistant. It even remains stable when wet, retaining its structure and effectively resisting clumping. This means that it can be easily and safely moved into the right place in the body during surgery, for example, to stop bleeding. Thanks to its flexibility, the nonwoven material can also be used in minimally invasive surgery. The fabric can also treat surgical sites, promote healing of open wounds or rebuild bone after a fracture.

The key to various applications of scaffolene® technology lies in the production process. The nonwovens are made of bioresorbable polymers of natural or synthetic origin. The composition of the polymers determines the biological and mechanical properties of the nonwovens, such as their degradation in the body or resistance to tearing. The advantage for the customer is that Freudenberg can use the patented scaffolene® technology to customize the various nonwovens following a modular principle to meet specific medical requirements.

It took a long time to reach this point. Freudenberg experts began their research and development work back in 2007. The initial impetus for the technology came from a customer request. A gelatin manufacturer was looking for a nonwoven fabric made of gelatin for medical applications, which would dissolve in the body.

In response, Freudenberg developed an innovative machine that was able to produce bioresorbable nonwovens at low temperatures using a rotary spinning process. The gentle spinning rotor technology enables sensitive raw materials like gelatin to be processed under clean room conditions which meet the strict requirements for medical products. This guarantees the customer reliability, as well as the consistent and safe quality of the medical nonwovens.

About the Freudenberg Group: The Freudenberg Group is a family company offering its customers technically challenging product solutions and services. The Group develops and manufactures seals, vibration control components, filters, nonwovens, products for surface treatment, release agents and specialty lubricants, medical and mechatronic products.

Especially for mid-size companies Freudenberg develops software solutions and IT services. The end-user can find modern Freudenberg household products in the shops under the brand names of vileda®, O-Cedar®, Wettex®, Gala® and SWASH®. The Freudenberg Group employed about 40,000 people in about 60 countries and generated sales of more than €6.6 billion in 2013 (including pro rata consolidation of 50:50 joint ventures). For further information, please go to www.freudenberg.com.

About Freudenberg in North America: Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership is the North American holding company for Freudenberg & Co. of Weinheim, Germany that owns a family of companies which operate 15 unique businesses at 86 locations in North America. Together, these companies provide innovative products and solutions to customers in industries ranging from automotive, aerospace, and medical to chemical, oil and gas, and construction. For further information, please visit www.freudenberg.us.

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SOURCE Freudenberg North America

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