Nitric Oxide (NO) has numerous benefits for wound healing but has challenges associated with its delivery. Several companies are addressing those challenges and creating an exciting opportunity in wound care.
Nitric oxide (NO) was named “Molecule of the Year” by the journal Science in 1992, and six years later, three US scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for their efforts to prove that NO, an endogenous gas and free radical, could have crucial biological effects. One of the well-known medical uses of NO is via nitroglycerin, a precursor to NO, to prevent and treat chest pain (angina). It works by relaxing blood vessels, which decreases the amount of work the heart has to do. NO has been identified for its value in chronic wound healing for many years because of its function in vasodilation, relaxing blood vessels and increasing blood flow, as well as its broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity.
No products have yet reached the market for chronic wounds; however, SmartTRAK has noted increasing activity related to the benefits of NO for wound healing. In fact, an article was published earlier this year entitled “Emerging Strategies for Nitric Oxide Production and Their Topical Application as Nano Dressings to Promote Diabetic Wound Healing.” The article identified four primary modes in which NO benefits the diabetic wound healing process: providing antimicrobial properties, promoting angiogenesis, regulating inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration and remodeling.
This market outlook article will discuss in detail the following subjects: