UCLB’s antimicrobial catheter is featured in The Times

The Times newspaper recently featured an article on UCLB’s patented antimicrobial catheter. The catheter, which will help to prevent infections in catheterised patients, is being developed by a team led by Professors Mike Wilson and Ivan Parkin.

The article, entitled ‘Laser’s “triple whammy” could stop hospital infections entering the body’, describes the benefits of this technology over existing antimicrobial catheters, such as the rapid killing of bacteria and the inability of bacteria to develop resistance to this mode of killing. Professor Mike Wilson states in the article: ‘Not only do these light-activated microbials prevent bacteria from attaching to the catheter, they also dislodge them and then kill them. It’s like a triple whammy.’

Derek Reay, Senior Business Manager at UCLB, said: ‘It is very satisfying to see The Times newspaper feature this UCLB technology. As well as internal UCLB proof of concept funding, this project has received a substantial grant from the Medical Research Council. We are very hopeful that the catheter will progress into the clinic and will provide further armament against hospital-acquired infections.’

About UCLB
UCLB is a leading technology transfer company that supports and commercialises research and innovations arising from UCL, one of the UK’s top research-led universities. UCLB has a successful track record and a strong reputation for identifying and protecting promising new technologies and innovations from UCL academics. It invests directly in development projects to maximise the potential of the research and manages the commercialisation process of technologies from the laboratory to market. UCLB supports UCL’s Grand Challenges of increasing UCL’s positive impact on and contribution to Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing.

For further information, please visit the website: www.uclb.com

(Article published in The Times Saturday 1 October 2011, Page 18)