A new medical device that enables suture-less nerve repair following traumatic injuries will allow surgeons to operate faster and achieve precise, reliable rejoining of injured nerves, thereby simplifying the surgical process and improving patient outcomes.

BioCircuit Technologies (Atlanta, GA, USA) and Smithfield BioScience (Smithfield, Va., USA) have developed Nerve Tape, an implantable device composed of decellularized porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) embedded with microscale hooks for tissue attachment. It can be quickly and easily wrapped around two ends of a severed nerve to form a strong, reliable connection with distributed tension to promote regeneration. The devices will be prepared from fully traceable SIS tissue harvested from Smithfield's U.S. operations.

In parallel with establishing a commercial supply chain for Nerve Tape®, BioCircuit is also developing non-invasive, bioelectronic devices able to tap into nerve and muscle activity to provide sensitive, high-resolution monitoring and selective, closed-loop stimulation. Useful in the fields of bioelectronic medicine, neuromodulation, neuro-prosthetics, and neuromuscular rehabilitation, this bioelectronics technology provides clinicians with the ability to diagnose health conditions earlier, precisely deliver therapies, and track outcomes over time.

"Our work with BioCircuit demonstrates our expanding portfolio and the value we are creating in a variety of markets through Smithfield's vertically integrated supply chain and manufacturing expertise," said Courtney Stanton, President of Smithfield BioScience. "By harvesting porcine bioproducts for medical applications – such as organs, mucosa, and tissues – we have the ability to improve lives through the development of innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices like this one."

"We look forward to working with Smithfield BioScience to bring this promising medical device solution to life," said Michelle Jarrard, CEO of BioCircuit Technologies. "BioCircuit is committed to developing medical technologies, such as Nerve Tape, to repair, monitor, and control peripheral nerves precisely and reliably. We're excited to tap into Smithfield's exceptional level of traceability and product safety in our work to empower surgeons with powerful, practical clinical tools that improve the treatment of injuries." 

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