Band-aid with healing powers to be made available

SINGAPORE – A band-aid with a coating that can help repair wounds may soon hit the market. A patent has been provisionally filed for the local researchers to come up with a patch containing stem-cell material that can hasten the healing.

The stem cells are obtained from a jelly-like substance, called Wharton’s jlly stem cells, coating the umbilical cord.

According to Asst. Prof. Fong Chui Yee from the obstetrics and gynaecology department at National University Singapore’s Yong Loo Ling School of Medicine, the plaster will either be coated with a layer of stem cells or material extracted from them.

She added that a prototype was expected to be completed by the end of this year.

“These stem cells secrete growth-promtoing substances that can help repair wounds,” she said. “When given the right conditions, they know what to do.”

Worldwide, only one stem-cell product has been given the green light for commercialisation. Earlier this month, Canada gave the go signal for a stem cell-based drug to treat a serious complication of bone-marrow transplantation in children.

Category: Pharmaceuticals