Thursday, December 22, 2022
Swedish Nanexa signs Evaluation Agreement with and issues a directed shares to Novo Nordisk for ALD based PharmaShell(R)
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Picosun Group has launched an ALD Medical Materials Library
The materials library is a reflection of over six years extensive research and development that shows ALD can render biocompatibility to a substrate coated with Picosun library materials. Biocompatibility tests were carried out according to ISO standards in accredited third-party laboratories. The performed tests included for example cytotoxicity, antimicrobial activity, skin irritation or sensitization, hemocompatibility, bacterial endotoxins, bioburden and sterilization residuals. From the tested materials Picosun is able to design tens of different types of end materials according to customer needs.
ALD technology provides dimensionless coating thus enabling miniaturization of components and devices in the field of electronic implants. Antibacterial function together with excellent barrier properties and outstanding corrosion resistance pave the way for using the materials both in electronic and orthopedic implants and show high potential in pharmaceutical packaging. The superior film uniformity and conformality ensure a pinhole-free coverage over even the smallest details of the device.
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
ALD Webinar on Coatings for Electronic Implants
Sunday, September 19, 2021
ALD can improve surgical tools like scalpel blades and much more
Application of ALD Thin Films on the Surface of the Surgical Scalpel Blade
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Vaccines perfected from the atoms up - Forge Nano technology enables next-gen vaccine formulation platform using ALD
Vaccines perfected from the atoms up - Forge Nano technology enables next-gen vaccine formulation platform using Atomic Layer Deposition.
VitriVax’s vaccine formulation platform addresses both of these challenges by enabling vaccines to be made thermostable up to 70°C (158°F), and the combination of prime and boost doses into a single injection with timed release, eliminating the need for a follow up injection. The platform uses a technology called atomic layer deposition (ALD) to coat the active ingredient in the vaccine with a protective layer of adjuvant (commonly used in vaccines to stimulate immune response). That coating then slowly dissolves to release the dose inside. The current generation of ALD system in use by VitriVax operates at the scale of around 1000 doses per run. (LINK)
Saturday, May 1, 2021
Nanexa AB started the first clinical study with ALD based PharmaShell® at the Karolinska University Hospital
Nanexa AB is a nanotechnology drug delivery company focusing on the development of PharmaShell®, a new and groundbreaking drug delivery system with great potential in a number of medical indications. Within the framework of PharmaShell®, Nanexa has partnership agreements with among others, AstraZeneca.
Friday, April 16, 2021
ALD coating for delayed drug delivery via the lungs for the treatment of respiratory diseases by Astra Zeneca and TU Delft
- electronic implants (IC, BioMEMS, Pacemaker)
- prosthetic implants (spine, trauma, hip, knee, dental)
- active pharmaceuticals ingredients for delayed drug delivery
Sunday, February 28, 2021
WEBINAR - Longer-lasting implants with hermetic ALD coatings by Picosun
Improved reliability and functionality for electronic and orthopedic implants with Picosun’s ALD solutions
With the boom of digital and remote healthcare and the increasing life expectancy of people, there is a rapidly growing need for more and more advanced medical devices, both implanted and external. At the same time, recent advances in microelectronics and the constantly miniaturizing size of the components enable the design of highly sophisticated implanted devices that can be placed in the most sensitive areas of the body such as the brain, spine, heart, and eyes.
Picosun’s Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) thin film coating technology offers a disruptive solution for implant manufacturers. Hermetic ALD encapsulation improves the reliability, functionality, and lifetime of electronic and orthopedic implants, potentially reducing the need for corrective or replacement surgeries. Also, cost savings can be achieved when the base materials of the implant can be e.g. stainless steels instead of noble or specialty metals.
Friday, February 12, 2021
Safer medical devices with Picosun’s antimicrobial ALD coatings
“The aseptic properties of our ALD films are so excellent that they surpass even the strictest requirements of the medical implant industry."
Friday, December 18, 2020
Nanexa AB signs USD 3 million Investment Agreement with Applied Materials to scale-up GMP production site for ALD-coated pharmaceuticals
Friday, November 22, 2019
The US Patent Office has approved Nanexa’s expanded patent application for the drug delivery platform PharmaShell®
Monday, November 4, 2019
Picosun expands selection of biocompatible ALD materials for medical applications
Picosun’s TiO2 and Al2O3 processes are already used in production of surgical implants and in drug particlecoating for controlled drug delivery. Now, also HfO2, SiO2, ZrO2, Nb2O5, Ta2O5, AlN and TiN ALD films manufactured by Picosun have been tested and validated by an independent third party to be non-cytotoxic and safe to human tissues in e.g. implant applications (*).
This wide variety of materials gives great flexibility in designing novel ALD solutions for a plethora of healthcare uses, when the materials can be used either as such, or combined into nanolaminates or doped films with unique, application-wise tailorable physico-chemical properties (**).
”Healthcare sector is one of our key strategic directions. Our patented know-how of ALD-based biocompatible protective encapsulation for implantable medical devices has already raised significant interest amongst industry leading companies. We are pleased that we have now even wider portfolio of materials and solutions that we can provide to these companies. Not only can our ALD technology solve several challenges these industries are currently facing, but also enable completely new components and devices to realize future’s healthcare inventions,” states Dr. Jani Kivioja, CTO of Picosun Group.
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Swedish Nanexa’s PharmaShell® patent approved in Japan
Nanexa’s drug delivery system PharmaShell® is suitable for parenteral drug administration. The drug delivery system enables drug release in a well-controlled manner from a couple of weeks to really long depots of up to one year. By adjustments in the manufacturing process of PharmaShell®, the depot time can be controlled to the desired length.
The properties of PharmaShell®, with extremely high so-called drug load and the ability to control the initial release, make it unique in the market. The system enables depot preparations from simple small molecule drugs to proteins. The mentioned properties are in demand by the pharmaceutical industry to create new and more effective drugs with the possibility of limiting the side effects of the drug.
The Japanese Patent Office has approved Nanexa’s patent application on May 30, 2019. The now approved patent covers the product PharmaShell® itself and the method of its manufacture and formulation of PharmaShell® coated drugs. The approved patent has patent number JP6516729.
CEO David Westberg comments:
In January, we got the PharmaShell® patent approved in the US and I can now conclude that it has also been approved in Japan. The Japanese market is large and important for Nanexa and with an approved patent our commercial opportunities in the future will increase.
Our continuous work on patent applications begins to yield results and together with our more recently filed patent applications, I assess that we have a strong patent portfolio.
Previous News on Nanexa:
Nanexas PharmaShell® patent approved in the United States
Nanexa order a third Picosun ALD System to meet production demand for PharmaShell®
Nanexa has completed a safety laboratory for the PharmaShell® process
New method using ALD enables storage and controlled release of pharmaceutical substances in the body
Monday, June 3, 2019
Picosun strengthens its presence in the healthcare industries
In the recent couple of years, healthcare industries have truly awakened to the endless possibilities ALD offers to them. As the population ages, the need for various ‘spare parts’ of the body, such as artificial hips, knee joints, dental implants, and stimulators for heart or brain functions grows. Along with the increasing miniaturization of implantable microelectronics and wireless sensors, remote health monitoring and therapeutics is also becoming commonplace.
“Picosun has worked with medical companies for a long time, for example with Russian-based implant manufacturer Conmet LLC, and with Swedish Nanexa AB, who uses ALD for drug particle surface functionalization for targeted and controlled drug delivery. We also collaborate with several universities where medical ALD technology is developed. These projects have given us unique insight into this business, which is quite different from the semiconductor industries, the most typical ‘playground’ for ALD,” says Mr. Juhana Kostamo, Managing Director of Picosun Group.
The common fact to all implantable medical devices is that they need protection from the rather hostile environment inside human body. Body fluids are corrosive so the implant must be isolated from them, and vice versa – the body needs to be protected from possible rejection reaction or metal ion leakage caused by the implant. This is where ALD, with its capability to form intrinsically biocompatible, reliably hermetic and ultra-thin sealing around the implanted device, shows its strength. ALD encapsulation increases the implant lifetime and safety, potentially reducing the number of replacement surgeries or ‘maintenance’ operations of the implanted device.
“Our PicoMEDICAL™ solutions are tailored especially to the needs of medical industries that are often still new to ALD. We provide not only the equipment, but the whole chain starting from application consultancy to equipment and process optimization, production ramp-up and comprehensive after-sales support to ensure our customers’ production keeps running smoothly and with minimum downtime. We are happy that we have been chosen as the ALD solutions provider to a yet new prominent customer in this field. Our technology shows again its agility and the potential to improve the quality of life for so many implant patients now and in the future,” continues Mr. Kostamo.
Picosun provides the most advanced ALD thin film coating technology to enable the industrial leap into the future, with turn-key production solutions and unmatched expertise in the field. Today, PICOSUN™ ALD equipment are in daily manufacturing use in numerous major industries around the world. Picosun is based in Finland, with subsidiaries in Germany, North America, Singapore, Taiwan, China and Japan, offices in India and France, and a world-wide sales and support network. Visit www.picosun.com.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Picosun provides the leading thin film coating solutions for medical industries
• Improved osteointegration with bioactive TiO2 thin films
• Biobarriers for encapsulation against metal ion leakage into tissue fluid
Pacemakers and other implantable electronic devices, microimplants Read more
- Hermetic biobarrier encapsulation of the device electronics against the effect of tissue fluid
- Medical MEMS, sensors, and Lab-on-a-Chip devices
- Controlled/targeted drug delivery
- Hydrophobic/hydrophilic coatings
- Functional coatings on powder materials
- Extremely thin films on stents
Monday, January 7, 2019
Picosun to showcase ALD for Medical applications at MDM West
Related Blog posts:
Nanexas PharmaShell® patent approved in the United States
Nanexa order a third Picosun ALD System to meet production demand for PharmaShell®
Picosun’s ALD nanolaminates extend the lifetime of biomedical microimplants
Picosun launches new PicoMEDICAL™ solutions specially targeted for healthcare industries
Groundbreaking micromedicine with Picosun’s ALD solutions
Friday, January 4, 2019
Nanexas PharmaShell® patent approved in the United States
Nanexa AB is a nanotechnology drug delivery company focusing on the development of PharmaShell®, which is a new and groundbreaking drug delivery system that is expected to have great potential in a number of medical indications. Within the framework of PharmaShell®, Nanexa has partnership agreements with among others, AstraZeneca.
The US Patent Office has approved Nanexa's patent application on January 1, 2019. The now-approved patent covers the product PharmaShell® as well as the method of its manufacture and formulation of PharmaShell® coated drugs. The approved patent has patent number US 10166198.
It is with great satisfaction that I can now conclude that the PharmaShell® patent is approved in the United States. We have always felt secure in our patent situation, but it still means a lot to get it confirmed by the US Patent Office. The US is our largest market and now that we have an approved patent, we can have a more interesting position in discussions with potential partners.
Nanexa order a third Picosun ALD System to meet production demand for PharmaShell®
Picosun is now delivering their third ALD system to Nanexa’s facilities in Sweden, where it will be utilized in production expansion of nano-functionalized pharmaceuticals for drug delivery. Stock-listed Nanexa AB has two patents pending for their technology platform PharmaShell®. With this technology, ALD-functionalized pharmaceuticals can stay effective in the body for long periods of time and have a tailored release profile that minimizes side effects and eliminates the need for constant re-dosing. Picosun has been aiding Nanexa in their undertaking to develop their technology to an industrially mature state by supplying ALD tool solutions and consultancy.
Picosun provides various ALD solutions specially optimized to meet the needs of the medical industries where quality, reliability, efficiency, patient safety and minimized side effects are of utmost importance.
“We are very pleased to order our third PICOSUN™ ALD system. We have reached a point where the demand from our commercial partner to invest in our technology platform PharmaShell® is rapidly increasing. To be able to meet this demand we are now procuring a new ALD tool to extend our production capacity for efficient delivery of materials to our customers,” says David Westberg, CEO of Nanexa.
“We are happy to provide yet more PICOSUN™ ALD equipment to our long-time partner Nanexa, where our technology is used in manufacturing state-of-the-art medicines to combat some of the most difficult diseases. Our aim is to utilize ALD to enable solutions that benefit the whole humanity, which is why we are especially glad that healthcare industries are now seizing the potential of ALD on so many fronts,” continues Dr. Jani Kivioja, CTO of Picosun.
Friday, December 21, 2018
Picosun’s ALD nanolaminates extend the lifetime of biomedical microimplants
Remote sensing and therapeutics through self-powered, wirelessly operating microimplants is an emerging technology that is finding a plethora of uses throughout the medical field. Some key examples are neural stimulation and diagnostics, blood glucose, blood pressure, intraocular and intracranial pressure measurements, and even artificial eyesight. These minuscule devices are typically implanted for extended periods of time (from several months to well over ten years), so encapsulation of their sensitive electronics against the corrosive environment inside the human body is crucial. Naturally, also the body has to be protected against possible inflammatory or rejection reaction caused by the implant. Traditional encapsulation materials, mostly used for macroscopic objects such as pacemakers or Cochlear devices, include titanium metal, ceramics, and several polymers such as parylene or polyimide. However, when the implant size diminishes, and the requirements for the implant lifetime increase, novel encapsulation methods and materials are called for.
ALD is an ideal method for reliable, hermetic encapsulation of various implantable devices, from micro-scale sensors to more macroscopic items such as hip, knee, and dental implants. Several ALD materials are intrinsically biocompatible and inert in the human body. ALD method produces ultra-high quality thin films, that cover uniformly and conformally even complex 3D-structures with nanoscale details, thus the desired effect of the coating can be achieved with much thinner material layers compared to the traditional methods. ALD coatings can be applied at relatively low temperatures, which advocates their use also on sensitive materials such as plastics and polymers.
Picosun has now developed an ALD nanolaminate encapsulant that can potentially ensure microimplant lifetime of over 10 years in human body environment(*). The nanolaminate deposition process is readily scalable to high throughput, cost-efficient industrial production of hundreds or even thousands of implants per run in PICOSUN™ P-300B or P-1000 ultra-large batch ALD reactors.
Figure: SEM images showing conformal ALD nanolaminate on edges and corners of test Si pieces(*).
“There is an increasing number of customers in the healthcare industries that are now looking at ALD to solve some critical issues in their products. We at Picosun have developed a whole family of production-proven, turn-key PicoMEDICAL™ solutions specifically to answer this need. The excellent results of our ALD encapsulation for biomedical microimplants prove that our technological knowhow and decades of experience in the field are now paving the way for a whole new generation of ALD-enabled healthcare solutions,” says Dr. Jani Kivioja, CTO of Picosun Group.
Picosun provides the most advanced ALD thin film coating technology to enable the industrial leap into the future, with turn-key production solutions and unmatched expertise in the field. Today, PICOSUN™ ALD equipment are in daily manufacturing use in numerous major industries around the world. Picosun is based in Finland, with subsidiaries in Europe, North America, Singapore, Taiwan, China, and Japan, and a world-wide sales and support network. Visit www.picosun.com.
(*) J. Jeong, F. Laiwalla, J. Lee, R. Ritasalo, M. Pudas, L. Larson, V. Leung, and A. Nurmikko: Conformal Hermetic Sealing of Wireless Microelectronic Implantable Chiplets by Multilayered Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Adv. Funct. Mater. 2018, 1806440. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201806440.