CARDIFF, Wales, December 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

ConvaTec, a world-leading developer and marketer of innovative medical technologies for community and hospital care, today announced that it received the 2011 Innovation Award from MediWales for AQUACEL® SURGICAL* and AQUACEL® Ag SURGICAL cover dressings. The Innovation Award recognises the development of an innovative technology, design and/or process that has produced a major improvement in business performance, end-user and/or patient benefit.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111026/NY92987LOGO )

"We are delighted to be recognised by MediWales with the Innovation Award," stated Jorgen Hansen, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing. Business Development and Innovation. "It is our mission at ConvaTec to develop innovative products that make a difference in people's lives. AQUACEL® SURGICAL cover dressings are just one example of our Company's commitment to ongoing innovation to fulfill unmet medical needs."

AQUACEL® SURGICAL and AQUACEL® Ag SURGICAL cover dressings are available for the use in the post-operative care of surgical incisions. Featuring the Company's patented Hydrofiber® Technology, combined with skin-friendly hydrocolloid technology, AQUACEL® and AQUACEL® Ag SURGICAL cover dressings are supported by evidence showing significant reduction in the incidence of superficial surgical site infection (SSI), skin blistering and delayed discharge as compared to a non-woven, post-operative surgical cover dressing regimen.(1a, 2b) The unique construction of AQUACEL® SURGICAL and AQUACEL® Ag SURGICAL cover dressings provides a waterproof, viral and bacterial barrier** that allows for flexibility and extensibility during body movement.

About MediWales

MediWales is the Welsh Life Sciences Forum - the networking and representative body for the sector. MediWales is owned by its members and managed through a board of member-elected non-executive directors. Members are largely made up of academics, businesses and clinicians - along with business support organizations and research centres.

Partially funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, MediWales promotes and supports its members via an extensive events programme; a rapid publications schedule - publishing both quarterly MediWales Review and the biannual UK Life Science Industry magazine; the website; and lobbying to government in order to represent the sector's needs.

Advanced Wound Dressings with Hydrofiber® Technology from ConvaTec

ConvaTec dressings with Hydrofiber® Technology gel on contact with fluid, providing clinicians and patients with substantial wound care benefits. This unique gelling action enables the dressings to lock in exudate and its harmful components(3, 4, 5c) and contour closely to the wound bed,(6c) in response to changing wound conditions. With the addition of ionic silver, AQUACEL® Ag dressing also provides "on demand" broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.(7, 8 c,d)

For incisions that are infected or at risk of infection, AQUACEL® Ag dressing provides rapid and sustained antimicrobial activity, killing a broad spectrum of pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), within 30 minutes of exposure to the dressing,(6) for up to 7 days,(8) as demonstrated in a simulated wound model in vitro.

AQUACEL® Ag dressings are soft, absorbent non-woven wound dressings based on Hydrofiber® Technology.

About ConvaTec

ConvaTec is a leading developer and marketer of innovative medical technologies that have helped improve the lives of millions of people worldwide. With four key focus areas - Ostomy Care, Wound Therapeutics, Continence and Critical Care, and Infusion Devices - ConvaTec products support healthcare professionals from the hospital to the community health setting. For more information, please visit http://www.convatec.com.

(a) A post-operative dressing regimen using Mepore™ dressing covering AQUACEL® dressing was compared to a new dressing regimen of DuoDERM® Extra Thin dressing covering AQUACEL® dressing after application of a liquid film forming acrylate. A subsequent study demonstrated no enhancement of the new dressing regimen by the acrylate.

(b) Equivalent performance of AQUACEL® SURGICAL cover dressing to DuoDERM® Extra Thin dressing covering AQUACEL® dressing demonstrated in in vitro testing.

(c) As demonstrated in vitro

(d) The amount of silver released is controlled by the maximum concentration of silver that can enter solution.

*AQUACEL® Ag SURGICAL dressing is approved for sales in the United States. AQUACEL® SURGICAL dressing is not approved for sale in the United States.

**When intact and there is no leakage

Hydrofiber, DuoDERM and AQUACEL are registered trademarks of ConvaTec Inc. AP-011944-MM

All trademarks are property of their respective owners.

© 2011 ConvaTec Inc.

(1) Clarke JV, Deakin AH, Dillon JM, Emmerson S, Kinninmonth AWG. A prospective clinical audit of a new dressing design for lower limb arthroplasty wounds. J Wound Care. 2009; 18(1):5-11.

(2) Laboratory Test Comparison of AQUACEL® Surgical Dressing 'New Design' and the Jubilee Method of Dressing Surgical Wounds. WHR13264 TA180. October 7, 2009. Data on file, ConvaTec.

(3) Walker M, Hobot JA, Newman GR, Bowler PG. Scanning electron microscopic examination of bacterial immobilization in a carboxymethylcellulose (Aquacel) and alginate dressings. Biomaterials. 2003; 24:883-890.

(4) Waring MJ, Parsons D. Physico-chemical characterization of carboxymethylated spun cellulose fibres. Biomaterials. 2001: 22:903-912.

(5) Walker, M, Bowler PG, Cochrane CA. In vitro studies to show sequestration of matrix metalloproteinases by silver-containing wound care products. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2007; 53(9):18-25.

(6) Jones SA, Bowler PG, Walker M. Antimicrobial activity of silver-containing dressings is influenced by dressing conformability with a wound surface. Wounds. 2005; 17(9):263-270.

(7) Jones SA, Bowler PG, Walker M, Parsons D. Controlling wound bioburden with a novel silver-containing Hydrofiber dressing. Wound Repair Regen. 2004; 12(3):288-294.

(8) Bowler PG, Jones SA, Walker M, Parsons D. Microbicidal properties of a silver-containing Hydrofiber® dressing against a variety of burn wound pathogens. J Burn Care Rehabil. 2004; 24(2):192-196.

SOURCE ConvaTec