Originally Published EMDM March/April 2009
Industry Intelligence: New Possibilities
Creganna Acquires Electroactive Polymer Technology
Irish contract manufacturer Creganna (Galway) has announced that it has acquired a biocompatible electroactive polymer from Micromuscle AB (Linköping, Sweden). Suited for a variety of medical device applications, the polymer changes volume and other properties in response to a small electrical stimulus. The technology enables both controlled movement of a device and the active controlled release of substances from a device.
The technology was developed at the Department of Physics and Measurement Technology of the University of Linköping. The developers of the polymer were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2000. Potential applications of the material include steering vascular devices, releasing drugs and picking up and releasing small objects.
Creganna, a design and manufacturing firm serving the medical device industry, had decided to acquire the company after the withdrawal of a venture capitalist forced the Swedish company to seek voluntary liquidation. “Creganna is moving very much in the direction of microtechnology, and Micromuscle technology is a great fit for Creganna and our customers,” Alan Crean explained at a press conference at the MD&M West trade show.
The Irish firm plans to first explore applications of the biocompatible polymer in devices used for interventional cardiology and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. The technology could be used to give new functionality to guidewires, stents, catheters and balloons.
Creganna is planning on keeping Micromuscle’s technical employees and is working with the company’s former customers. Crean also says that there has been a “huge level of interest from very senior people at big companies” who were previously unfamiliar with the technology.
www.creganna.com
www.creganna.com
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