MONMOUTH JUNCTION, N.J., July 24 (UPI) -- TyRx Pharma said Monday it has been cleared to sell its Pivit AB antimicrobial-coated surgical mesh on the U.S. market.
The company said the device is coated with a bioresorbable polymer containing the antimicrobial agents rifampin and minocycline and is designed for the repair of hernias and other abdominal conditions needing a reinforcing or bridging material in order to successfully address with surgery.
The device's coating is designed to help guard against bacterial colonization of the device during surgical implantation.
"We are extremely excited to have reached this value-creating milestone with Pivit AB," said Bill Edelman, chief executive officer of TyRx Pharma. "This is the second in a series of combination medical products that TyRx has will launch this year."
Quoting Infection Control Today, TyRx Pharma said the average cost of each infection related to invasive medical devices ranges from $34,000 to $56,000, posing an annual $2.3 billion burden on the U.S. healthcare system.
In addition, about half of the 2 million cases of nosocomial infection occurring each year in the United States are caused by "indwelling devices," the company said, quoting a study from the New England Journal of Medicine.
