WoundStat Inventors Recognized For Their Outstanding Medical Research Contributions To Combat Casualty Care

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 18 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) researchers Kevin Ward, MD, Robert Diegelmann, PhD, and Gary Bowlin, PhD, this week received the Award for Excellence in recognition of their outstanding contributions to combat casualty care from the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Combat Casualty Care Research Program. The three invented WoundStat™, a ground-breaking hemostatic agent for control of bleeding in high-pressure arterial wounds, which are a common combat injury. The award was given to the group "in recognition of their hemorrhage control research, and the resultant development of WoundStat, a product that will significantly increase survival of the combat wounded."

The award was given at the Advanced Technology Applications for Combat Casualty Care (ATACCC) 2008 Conference, and this is one of the few times the award has been given to someone who was not a member of the military.

"I'm gratified, and I'm proud of the award," said Dr. Ward. "Our team did great work in inventing WoundStat. It is rewarding knowing that your work can help save lives of warfighters and other trauma victims, and it is great to be recognized as well."

After years of research, Ward, Diegelmann, and Bowlin developed a versatile and robust hemostatic material that is specifically suited to treat the tremendously complex wounds of war under very demanding environmental conditions. WoundStat is both very absorbent and adherent, which helps to quickly stop the bleeding while simultaneously facilitating clotting.

The patent-pending technology behind WoundStat is the result of more than three years of medical research and development by VCURES. The university center not only conducts research on life-saving technologies, it plays a key role in training Special Operation Combat Medics in the U.S. military.

"We are proud of these gentlemen - not only for their scientific and medical expertise, but also for their dedication to our collective mission of advancing combat casualty care. WoundStat is now being deployed within the US military and has the potential to dramatically increase the survival rate of warfighters with severe, bleeding injuries," commented Devinder Bawa, CEO of TraumaCure, which manufactures and markets WoundStat. "Our partnership with VCU and these dedicated scientists has been tremendously productive."

Four different medical research studies - including the one conducted by the U.S. Army's Institute for Surgical Research (ISR) - have consistently proven that WoundStat is the most effective hemostat available for high pressure arterial wounds.

About VCU and the VCU Medical Center

Virginia Commonwealth University is the largest university in Virginia and ranks among the top 100 universities in the country in sponsored research. Located on two downtown campuses in Richmond, VCU enrolls more than 30,000 students in nearly 200 certificate and degree programs in the arts, sciences and humanities. Sixty-three of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU's 15 schools and one college. MCV Hospitals and the health sciences schools of Virginia Commonwealth University compose the VCU Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.

Virginia Commonwealth University

About TraumaCure

TraumaCure, based in Bethesda, Maryland, supplies the most effective, reliable treatments for life-threatening bleeding wounds. TraumaCure's hemostatic products help stabilize a wounded individual prior to receiving advanced medical treatment. The company's products are made in the U.S. and are proven to save lives and improve outcomes following traumatic injury. TraumaCure is committed to providing the most trustworthy and innovative hemostasis treatments for the military, emergency responders, and civilians.

TraumaCure