Sharklet Technologies Wins ‘Early-Stage Shootout’ at Southeast Bio’s Investor Forum

Dec. 15, 2008 - PRLog -- Sharklet Technologies (http://www.sharklet.com) today announced that it won the highly regarded ‘Early-Stage Shootout’ competition at Southeast Bio’s 10th Annual Investor Forum in West Palm Beach, Fla. after presenting its business plan and identifying the critical need for its bacterial management solution for the healthcare environment.  The SEBIO Forum is the Southeast’s premier life sciences venture capital conference.  

Sharklet Technologies was selected the winner by an esteemed panel of judges comprised of venture capitalists and representatives from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.  Sharklet Technologies was selected from among 60 early-stage medical device, drug and biotechnology companies.  

“The Southeast BIO Investor Forum attracts leading investors, high-quality venture capital funds and promising young life sciences companies,” said Stephanie Adams, Ph.D., executive director of SEBIO.  “Sharklet was selected as the Early-Stage Shootout winner based on the merits of its business strategy and potential to enhance healthcare.”

Sharklet Technologies has engineered a surface technology called Sharklet™ that controls the growth of microorganisms and bacteria including Staph a., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli among others.  The company has also begun testing against more virulent strains of bacteria including MRSA.  The microscopic surface pattern is comprised of billions of tiny raised bars arranged in a specific diamond pattern.  It is the shape and pattern alone that disrupts bacterial growth and the formation of bacterial biofilms.  There is no chemistry, toxicity or leaching of any chemicals.  The pattern itself may be manufactured onto the surfaces of medical devices such as catheters or manufactured as a durable film that may be applied to existing things such as bed rails or tray tables in a healthcare setting.  The goal of Sharklet is to reduce the reproduction, migration and transference of bacteria so that patients have a reduced risk of getting a hospital-acquired infection.

“We are delighted to have been selected as the winner of the SEBIO Early Stage Shootout as the win validates that there is significant interest in Sharklet and a pressing need for an environmentally friendly and no-kill strategy for bacterial control in the healthcare market,” said Joe Bagan, Sharklet Technologies’ chief executive officer.  “We’re proud to have participated in the Forum and look forward to future opportunities where we can share more about the power of a Sharklet microorganism management solution.”

The Sharklet Technologies win comes just as the company is preparing to launch a field trial at a large California hospital.  The trial will determine how the pattern performs in an actual healthcare environment.  It is expected that Sharklet will perform well as intensive laboratory testing has shown that the Sharklet pattern can inhibit bacterial biofilm development for up to 21 days without cleaning, and much longer if cleaned.  In contrast, a biofilm may form on a smooth surface within hours.

Note to Editors:  A photo of the pattern, the story of Sharklet’s discovery and more is available on the company’s website at http://www.sharklet.com/mediaroom.html.

About Sharklet Technologies

Sharklet Technologies is a biotechnology company that develops and brings to market surface technologies that are designed to inhibit or enhance microorganism growth to make the world a healthier, environmentally safer and better place.  Inspired by the microbial-resistant properties of sharkskin, Sharklet™, the company’s core technology, is the first no-kill surface developed to control bacteria including Staph a. and E. coli.  Sharklet™ may be used in healthcare environments and on medical devices to help prevent the development of biofilms and hospital-acquired infections.  The company is headquartered at the prestigious Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator in Alachua, Fla., the top U.S. incubator that is internationally recognized as a pioneer in bio-business development.  Learn more at http://www.sharklet.com .

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Sharklet Technologies is a biotechnology company that develops and brings to market surface technologies that are designed to inhibit or enhance microorganism growth to make the world a healthier, environmentally safer and better place.