What is CovaCoat®?

CovaCoat® is a proprietary photochemical process that permanently alters the surface of a variety of medical devices, to improve functionality and performance. Using our validated CovaCoat® technology platform, we collaborate with customers to incorporate or customize the technology to develop unique medical devices that are cost-effective and allow for strategic marketing advantages for their product offerings.

CovaCoat® may be customized to provide medical devices specific properties:

· Lubricious

· Hemocompatible

· Biocompatible

· Antimicrobial

· Controlled drug delivery

· ID/OD coating

The CovaCoat® process works best with polymer-based materials but can be applied to virtually any medical device or other surface material. Using USP grade material and an ISO compliant quality system, the CovaCoat® process has been scaled for commercial production of many FDA, Health Canada, CFDA approved products.

Features and Benefits:

Durable: Covalently linked surface coating withstands very high shearing and abrasion forces
Highly tunable: Adaptable to varying geometries, devices and materials (pre or post processing), ID and OD coating
Multifunctional: Allowing for multiple surface properties, functionalities and controlled delivery of APIs, all in one coating formulation
Customizable: Providing unique market differentiating solutions for every customer
Patented: A unique (or differentiating) approach to surface modification
Controlled delivery: Including but not limited to antimicrobials, antibiotics, peptides and anti‐inflammatories
Cost Effective: A flexible business model allows for creative structures that are mutually beneficial
A Quicker Path to Market: Process has been scaled commercially at our in-house manufacturing facility, as well as transferred to third parties.
Commercially Proven: Multiple applications in market with clinical validation

CovaCoat® Process

Our proprietary photo-polymerization, “grafting from” process results in a permanent covalent bond between the coating and medical device surface.

This unique process uses an in-situ reaction that enables grafting sites to slightly penetrate the surface of the medical device forming a continuum rather than a discreet coating layer, the latter of which is more susceptible to delamination and particulate formation.

Low Particulate, Lubricious Coating: Centaur™

Centaur™ low particulate, lubricious coating is designed to improve the safety and functionality of intravascular medical devices, such as vascular access catheters, where the presence of unwanted particulate can cause significant patient complications. In a third party in vitro simulated vascular insertion study designed to measure the levels of particulate, Covalon’s Centaur™ coating resulted in significantly lower levels for all particulate sizes relative to the uncoated control. This contrasts with other industry leading coatings that generate nearly twice as many particles as the same catheter without a coating. Covalon’s Centaur™ coating technology specifically targets and is ideally suited for a growing segment of the medical coatings market focused on minimizing coating degradation without compromising lubricity.

Figure 2.a): Lubricity of CENTAUR™ PICCs The coefficient of friction of polyurethane PICCs coated with Centaur™ and compared to uncoated controls.Figure 2.b): Particulate Generation of polyurethane PICCs coated with Centaur™ and compared to uncoated… — Figure 2.a): Lubricity of CENTAUR™ PICCs The coefficient of friction of polyurethane PICCs coated with Centaur™ and compared to uncoated controls.
Figure 2.b): Particulate Generation of polyurethane PICCs coated with Centaur™ and compared to uncoated controls when subjected to a simulated use model (torturous path)

Infection Prevention Coatings

Using the CovaCoat® process, our infection prevention coatings are not restricted to one specific antimicrobial. We leverage various antimicrobials, antibiotics and combinations thereof, which are incorporated into the coating and tuned accordingly, to achieve the target elution profile and efficacy of the device. The Covalon development team works closely with customers to understand the best infection prevention solution for their device and market, resulting in a unique, market differentiating coating unlike any of their competitors.

Figure 3: Incorporating photostabilized silver using the CovaCoat® process (SilverCoat™) provides superior antimicrobial protection and prevents planktonic as well as biofilm formation on silicone Foley catheters when compared to leading competitors.

Figure 4: The incorporation of silver onto the surface of titanium using the CovaCoat® process results in essentially complete resistant (i.e. > 4 log reduction relative to approximately one million inoculum) to colonization by Staphylococcus epi… — Figure 4: The incorporation of silver onto the surface of titanium using the CovaCoat® process results in essentially complete resistant (i.e. > 4 log reduction relative to approximately one million inoculum) to colonization by *Staphylococcus epidermidis (MDRSE), Pseudomonas aeruginosa* and *Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)* over a 3-week challenge.

Controlled Drug Delivery Coatings

The CovaCoat® Process can be combined with various active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), including, but not limited to, antimicrobials, anti-inflammatories, pain relief compounds, antibiotics. Based on the target efficacy, the CovaCoat™ process is modulated to provide the appropriate elution for a target application.

Figure 5: Cumulative elution profiles of three different formulations of CovaCoat® loaded with the same API. Formulations of CovaCoat® can be tailored to achieve desired elution profile.

Custom Coatings

Our specialists employ the latest science methodologies to create customized solutions for our clients. We work with major pharmaceutical companies to extend the life-time of their patented proprietary compounds. For more information about our customized coating solutions, please contact our specialists.