A pilot production of biodegradable surgical sutures was commissioned in Tomsk

A project for development of a technique to produce synthetic biodegradable sutures is being realized by the scientists from the Tomsk State University with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and federal-technology platform “Medicine of the future”.

The pilot production area was visited by the Deputy Minister of Education of the RF Lyudmila Ogorodova, the Deputy Governor for scientific- educational complex and innovation policy, Aleksey Knyazev, First Vice Rector of the Tomsk State University, Eduard Galazhinsky.

“Development of technology for manufacturing resorbable suture material - is a very important task for domestic medicine. Production of resorbable sutures, using only domestic raw materials has not so far existed in Russia,” - Lyudmila Ogorodova underlined.

“Tomsk scientists were engaged in development of technology for manufacturing synthetic biopolymers based on glycolic acid over the past two years.  Nowadays pre-production suture prototypes undergo tests, which will be finished earlier this year. Since the beginning of 2014 the pilot-plant equipment is expected to reach its declared capacity of up to 100 kg surgical sutures per year. About 15 people will work at the production plant, the project cost is 180 million roubles.

One of the most important tasks set by the Governor is to achieve rapid application of research results, Aleksey Knyazev noted. – This project is an example of how to get over the way from research to production in a year and a half. New associating production can and must be developed on the basis of this project, the equipment is unique and can be used to create different technologies.

Information:

The first domestic production of biodegradable surgical sutures started when the scientists from the Tomsk State University developed a unique technology of producing glyoxal – a valuable chemical compound for a wide variety of applications. For the first time in Russia its production started at the pilot site of the innovation enterprise Novokhim in 2010. Previously, only seven countries in the world had access to these technologies of producing glyoxal, thanks to the efforts of Tomsk scientists Russia became the eighth. is Glyoxal is used to synthesize glycolic acid and basing on it and lactic acid - two polymers polyglycolide and polylactides which can be taken as basis for biodegradable materials in a large variety of areas – from medicine to modern environment-friendly packaging.

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• September
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