Keratins are an important class of proteins that help the body’s natural healing process – promoting soft and hard tissue repair and regeneration. KeraNetics, a North Carolina-based advanced biomaterials company, is developing a robust line of keratin-based therapeutics for severe burns, hemostasis, hemorrhage resuscitation, drug delivery and bone and muscle regeneration.
KeraNetics recently raised $1.7 million in equity, according to a regulatory filing, and before that about $13 million in private equity, the Winston-Salem Journal reports. But it’s not reliant on investors – it’s got at least $15.2 million for its federally funded research products, it says on its website. KeraNetics also operating on SBIR funidng – such as the $1 million Phase 2 contract it got last year from the U.S. Army.
It has many products in development – such as a long-used drug called halofuginone that prevents scar formation after burns. It has studied melding this with keratin to create dressings tailored to a patient with 3D printing technology. The Winston Salem Journal writes:
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KeraNetics is in the process of requesting Food and Drug Administration approval to begin human clinical trials. Westmoreland said that if it gains FDA approval, it could have product available for consumers at the earliest in late 2016 and the latest by early 2018.
“When these products get to market, we believe they will make a big impact,” [CEO Kim] Westmoreland said.
Last fall it expanded to a larger manufacturing site to accommodate for developing more products to be used in human clinical trials, the Triad Business Journal reported. KeraNetics didn’t immediately return a call for comment on the new funding.
