The federal government’s Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium has funded a $227,000 grant for the University of Texas at Arlington to develop the manufacturing process for the REHEAL glove, according to a news release.
REHEAL is a bioengineered healing glove that delivers medicine to injured hands to speed up healing.
“Developing the manufacturing process is critical for clinical and pre-clinical studies of the REHEAL glove, which would be a Class 2 medical device that would need FDA approval,” Muthu Wijesundara said in the release.
Wijesundara is the chief research scientist at UTA’s Research Institute and leader of the REHEAL project.
The REHEAL glove works as a flexible polymeric, transparent silicone glove wound dressing for treatment after a hand trauma. According to the release, the glove provides both negative pressure wound therapy and a way to deliver therapeutics such as tropical gels and creams and control the wound’s environment through washing and remove fluids.
According to the release, studies with the University of Washington on healthy volunteers demonstrated the safety and feasibility of the REHEAL glove to improve patient care.
“We are now moving beyond a lab prototype tested on volunteers to transition the technology for large-scale clinical human trials,” Wijesundara said in the release. “UTA Research Institute will focus on the manufacturing process while our medical partner Christopher Allan will oversee development of sterilization and packaging process for the device.”
Allan works at the University of Washington’s Hand, Elbow and Shoulder Center. Wijesundara and Allanco-developed the glove and co-founded the REHEAL LLC startup.
According to the release, UW CoMotion, the University of Washington’s collaborative innovation hub, has supported REHEAL by helping provide funds to create new prototypes, filing a currently pending patent on the technology, and connecting the team to regulatory consultants and business mentors.
To view a video of the glove:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2na9dsvNLY