Noventure acquires Ulkox® and Oleoabrax®, two medical devices based on patented new wound-healing technology

Barcelona, Spain, April 19, 2021 – Noventure, specialized in licensing innovative substance-based medical devices and specialist food supplements, today announces it has acquired the Ulkox® and Oleoabrax® products, based on an Olea Europaea leaf extract wound-healing technology. These medical devices were originally developed by Spanish companies Quesper R&D, specialising in the creation and development of medical devices with a markedly innovative character, and Orpea Ibérica, the leading company in Spain in the fields of care for the elderly and dependent people, and the mental health sector, together with the Andalusian Health Service (Servicio Andaluz de Salud, SAS).

Olea Europaea (olive) leaf extract has shown excellent scavenging effects which contribute to the acceleration of the healing of skin wounds. Chronic wounds are mostly seen in the elderly population. Increasing costs of health care, an aging population, recognition of difficult-to-treat infection threats such as biofilms, and the continued threat of diabetes and obesity worldwide, make chronic wounds a substantial clinical, social and economic challenge. From an economic point of view, the annual wound care products market is expected to reach $15–22 billion (€12.5 – 18.4bn) by 2024.

Ulkox and Oleoabrax are the first Olea Europaea–based products for Noventure. They are already available for licensing and have been certified as Class IIb medical devices. They are indicated for healing skin wounds of full or partial thickness. As amorphous hydrogels, they protect the affected area from infection and boost healing based on four properties: the protective barrier, skin hydration, pH control and oxygen radical scavenging effect. These patent-protected products are easy to apply and are supported by proven evidence from robust experimental and clinical research.

Luciano Conde, CEO of Noventure, said: “This agreement will enable us to keep shaping innovative science assets and bring them to markets around the world, and to take steps towards becoming a key player in medical devices for topical applications. This is only the beginning; we have many innovative products that we will be able to bring to patients, thanks to this patented new technology.”

Jose Manuel Quesada, CEO of Quesper R&D said: “Following more than ten years of preclinical and clinical research, we can proudly state that Ulkox and Oleoabrax have the proven ability to reactivate and accelerate the healing process of ulcers and skin wounds, and do so significantly better than other widely-used products. Their introduction into the market will mean a significant improvement in patients’ quality of life, as well as being an important advance for the professionals who care for them. We therefore welcome the transfer of this disruptive technology to Noventure, which will make our products available to patients all over the world.”

An Orpea representative spoke of its medical and healthcare teams: “working daily to develop innovative programs, therapies and treatments that provide greater well-being and quality of life for the elderly. Research and innovation are the two pillars that allow us to be worldwide leaders in the sector of dependency and care for the elderly.”

Ulkox and Oleoabrax are class IIb medical devices which comply with the essential requirements of Directive 93/42/EEC and subsequent amendments. (CE 0318, Ferrer Internacional, S.A.) They will initially be marketed in the EU. Regulatory steps are being taken to make them readily available throughout the rest of the world.

About Quesper

Quesper R&D is a technology-based company specialising in the creation and development of medical devices with a markedly innovative character. The company covers all stages of product development – up to obtaining the CE-mark – basing its strategy on the generation of scientific evidence of the highest quality, this allows it to differentiate its medical devices from those already on the market.

About Orpea Ibérica

Orpea Ibérica is the leading company in Spain in the fields of care for the elderly and dependent people, and the mental health sector. With more than 25 years experience, it currently has 50 operating centers including residences, day centers and mental health clinics, with over 8,500 beds and nearly 1,000 day center places. Present in the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Aragon, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Galicia, Madrid, Murcia, La Rioja and Valencia, Orpea Ibérica is a subsidiary of the French group Orpea (www.orpea.com), a world leader in the long-term care sector, with more than 65,000 employees, a network of 950 establishments and a total of 96,577 beds in France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Brazil, Luxembourg and China.

www.ORPEA.es

About SAS

The Andalusian Health Service (SAS) is attached to the Spanish Ministry of Health and Families. It carries out the functions assigned to it under ministry supervision and control. Its mission is to provide health care to Andalusian citizens, offering quality public health services, ensuring accessibility, equity and user satisfaction, whilst seeking efficiency and optimal use of resources. Likewise, it generates knowledge through the investigations of its professionals. Thanks to the transfer of technology, this knowledge benefits society, through companies, with the aim of improving people’s health.

www.sspa.juntadeandalucia.es/servicioandaluzdesalud

About Noventure 

Noventure is a Spanish company based in Barcelona. It is specialized in licensing innovative substance-based medical devices and specialist food supplements. It markets approved medical devices under the CE Mark – ready for marketing in the EU and in territories around the world – and singular food supplements in the areas of gastroenterology, urogynecology, pediatrics and dermatology. Noventure’s innovative, substance?based medical devices are patient-friendly, effective solutions. The specialized food supplements come in distinctive galenic formulations, thereby increasing acceptability and adherence, and improving consumer experience.

www.noventure.com