Towards Commercialization of a Hydrogel-based Smart Bandage for Wound Management: A Market Assessment Study

由于慢性伤口的流行、老年人口的增加和肥胖，全球伤口护理市场预计将从2017年的约180亿美元快速增长到2022年的约220亿美元。目前，每年约有60万加拿大人、650万美国人和全球6700万人遭受慢性伤口的痛苦。慢性创面感染是一项重大的临床挑战，它导致住院时间显著延长，伤口愈合延迟，成本和死亡率增加。此外，感染可能导致伴随败血症的显著免疫反应，这可能导致低血压和多器官衰竭。因此，预防和处理感染，同时持续监测伤口，是处理慢性损伤患者的主要关切。我们最近开发了一种先进的多功能敷料(Gelderm)，能够比色测量pH值，细菌感染的指示器，以及伤口处抗生素的释放。我们使用体外和体外测试证明了Gelderm检测细菌感染的能力，其准确性与商业上可用的系统相当。使用与智能手机等数字图像捕获硬件的无线接口作为量化手段，使患者能够在家中记录伤口情况，并将信息传递给医护人员，以便采取后续治疗策略。在这个I2I应用中，我们建议通过全面的市场评估来支持Gelderm的商业化，以a)估计市场规模，b)了解市场动态，c)调查最终用户和内容专家对购买和使用Gelderm的兴趣，以及d)进行全面的竞争分析。为了实现这些目标，将聘请一名外部顾问进行一手和二手市场调查，然后进行调查。顾问的最终MA报告将重点介绍SWOT分析、市场规模、竞争分析、进入市场的障碍、调查结果和建议。该项目的成果对于这种智能绷带技术的商业化至关重要。*

The global wound care market is expected to grow rapidly from ~$18B in 2017 to ~$22B in 2022 due to the increasing prevalence of chronic wounds, increasing aged population, and obesity. Currently, about 600,000 Canadians, 6.5 million Americans, and 67 million people worldwide suffer from chronic wounds annually. Infection in chronic wounds is a major clinical challenge, which results in significantly longer hospitalization, delayed wound healing, and increased cost and mortality. Furthermore, an infection can lead to the development of a pronounced immune response accompanied by sepsis, which can lead to hypotension and multiorgan failure. Therefore, prevention and management of infections, accompanied by continuous monitoring of the wound, are primary concerns of patients dealing with chronic injuries. We recently developed an advanced multifunctional dressing (GelDerm) capable of colorimetric measurement of pH, an indicator of bacterial infection, and release of antibiotic agents at the wound site. We demonstrated the ability of GelDerm to detect bacterial infections using in vitro and ex vivo tests with accuracies comparable to the commercially available systems. Wireless interfaces to digital image capture hardware such as smartphones were used as a means for quantitation to allow the patient to record the wound condition at home and relay the information to the healthcare personnel for following treatment strategies. In this I2I application, we propose to support the commercialization of GelDerm through a comprehensive market assessment to a) estimate the market size, b) understand the market dynamics, c) probe for the end-users' and content experts' interest in buying and using GelDerm, and d) conduct a thorough competitive analysis. To meet these objectives, an external consultant will be hired to undertake primary and secondary market research followed by a survey. The final MA report from the consultant will highlight the SWOT analysis, market size, competitive analysis, barriers to market entry, results of the survey, and recommendations. The outcomes of this project essential for the commercialization of this smart bandage technology.************