The Origin of KeraNetics™
KeraNetics™ began in 2008, when a group of entrepreneurs, scientists and U.S. military veterans partnered with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine to launch a company focused on developing products to treat complex traumatic battlefield injuries that were occurring in Iraq and Afghanistan at the time.
This collaboration led to the development of KeraStat® Cream as a medical countermeasure against radiation injuries for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Consequently, the KeraNetics™ team realized that radiation injury of the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) is not just a biodefense problem but also a major complication for patients undergoing radiation therapy. While the development of KeraStat® Cream was continuing for the government, a colleague affiliated with KeraNetics™ underwent radiation therapy for breast cancer and had debilitating skin reactions.
This event highlighted the likelihood that almost all of us care about someone who has experience with breast cancer. Patients who have undergone/experienced cancer treatment know how overwhelming the significant physical and emotional trauma that comes with a cancer diagnosis can be.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is terrifying in its own right. Helping patients cope with this diagnosis is why KeraNetics™ wants to address the physical side effects that can come with radiation therapy. Research has shown that the number one complaint of patients receiving radiation therapy is the effect that the treatment has on their skin and the impact these skin reactions have on their lives. In fact, 95% of patients receiving radiation therapy develop radiation dermatitis1, a side effect that can include pain,skin ulcers, redness, skin discoloration in darker skin, rashes, itch, and flaking.
These symptoms can continue to appear after radiation therapy is complete and often last for many months. As many radiation oncologists will attest, the commonly used over-the-counter creams available in the drug store or online are not very effective for managing radiation induced skin injuries. Patients and their loved ones deserve better. Doctors working to treat the cancer deserve better. KeraStat® Cream is a safe and effective solution to address this unmet need. KeraNetics™ is committed to continuing its story, one of increasing the quality of people’s lives.
- Iacovelli NA, et al. Topical treatment of radiation-induced dermatitis: current issues and potential solutions. Drugs in Context. 2020; 9: 2020-4-7. DOI: 10.7573/dic.2020-4-7