B. Braun has entered into a five-year exclusive agreement to distribute a groundbreaking knotless wound closure system, developed by a US specialist company, in the UK, Ireland and France.

The Quill Self-Retaining System (SRS) from Angiotech Pharmaceuticals enables bidirectional wound closure: the surgeon works from the midpoint of the wound, suturing in both directions. The barbs within the Quill SRS distribute the tension, removing the need for knots.

Dr. William Hunter, President and CEO of Angiotech, said: "We are very excited and proud to have one of the leading companies in wound closure partner with Angiotech to facilitate the continued acceptance of Quill SRS in these critical European countries. Having a leading company such as B. Braun, with its long legacy of innovation and technology leadership, join us as one of our European partners further validates Quill SRS's market potential as a transformational technology in the surgical market."

"We are very much looking forward to including the Quill SRS knotless suturing system in our comprehensive Closure Technologies portfolio and start redefining wound closure," said Mr. Miguel Pablo, Vice President, Marketing, Sales & Regulatory Affairs for B. Braun's Closure Technologies Unit.

"Such innovative barbed monofilament sutures fit very well with our global monofilament sutures campaign, and we are convinced that it will be a major breakthrough for our organisation in these markets. With this agreement, we proudly strengthen our strategic partnership with Angiotech, a leading company in innovative treatment solutions."

B. Braun is a leading global healthcare supplier, with over €4 billion in revenue in 2009. Angiotech Pharmaceuticals develops and markets treatments for complications arising from surgery, medical device implants and injury.

 
Quill SRS