What Is NexoBrid?
NexoBrid (anacaulase) is a topical wound debridement product that removes dead or damaged tissue from wounds. Anacaulase is a plant-based enzyme derived from the horseradish plant. Wound debridement is essential in wound healing, removing damaged or necrotic tissue that can inhibit wound healing. NexoBrid breaks down the bonds between dead or damaged tissue and healthy tissue, allowing it to be gently removed from the wound.
What Is the Wound Debridement Process?
As mentioned, wound debridement removes non-viable tissue, foreign material, and bacteria from a wound to promote healing. Removal of non-viable tissue is essential because non-viable tissue and foreign material can impede the healing process and increase the risk of infection. The wound debridement process can be done through several methods:
Surgical debridement involves using surgical instruments to remove dead tissue and foreign material from the wound.
Mechanical debridement involves using a wet-to-dry dressing, which is applied to the wound and then removed, taking any dead tissue or debris with it.
Enzymatic debridement involves topical enzymes that break down dead tissue and allow it to be removed more easily.
Autolytic debridement: This involves the use of dressings that allow the body's enzymes to break down dead tissue.
What type of debridement that should be used depends on several factors with most important being:
The size and location of the wound
The patient's overall health, and
The severity of the wound.
After debridement, the wound is cleaned and dressed appropriately to promote healing.
For What Is Used NexoBrid?
As it's already apparent, NexoBrid (anacaulase) is used for topical wound debridement of severe thermal burns. It is intended to remove dead or damaged tissue from burn wounds, which can inhibit wound healing and prolong the healing process. Using NexoBrid can help improve wound healing, reduce the time to complete wound healing, and promote the growth of new, healthy tissue in the wound. It is intended to be used in combination with other wound care treatments.
NexoBrid is designed to be a safe and effective alternative to other debridement methods, such as surgical debridement or mechanical debridement. NexoBrid should be used in adult patients with severe thermal burn wounds and for topical use only. Importantly, it should only be used by healthcare professionals trained in using the product and under the supervision of a physician experienced in managing burn wounds. Also, NexoBrid should not be used in patients with certain types of wounds, such as wounds contaminated with bacteria. In clinical trials, NexoBrid is effective in promoting wound healing and reducing the time to complete wound healing compared to other debridement methods.
Who Developed NexoBrid (Anacaulase)?
MediWound, an Israeli-based biopharmaceutical company, developed NexoBrid. MediWound was founded in 2000, and it has a strong focus on research and development and has a portfolio of products designed to improve wound healing and reduce the time to complete wound healing. NexoBrid is one of the company's flagship products and has been approved for use in the European Union and other countries and recently also by FDA. MediWound is committed to improving patients' lives with burn injuries and other wounds and is dedicated to developing safe and effective treatments for wound care and burn management.
What Is the Mechanism of Action of NexoBrid?
The mechanism of action for NexoBrid (anacaulase) is based on the ability of the plant-based enzyme, anacaulase (a mix of enzymes), to break down the bonds between dead or damaged tissue and the healthy tissue in a wound. Anacaulase is derived from the horseradish plant and is a proteolytic enzyme that cleaves the proteins that hold dead or damaged tissue in place. When NexoBrid is applied to a wound, the anacaulase enzyme begins to break down the proteins in the necrotic tissue, allowing it to be gently removed.
This debridement, or removal of dead or damaged tissue, is essential in wound healing. By removing dead or damaged tissue, NexoBrid can help to improve wound healing, reduce the time to complete wound healing and promote the growth of new, healthy tissue in the wound.
NexoBrid is designed to be a safe and effective alternative to other debridement methods, such as surgical debridement or mechanical debridement. It is intended to be used in combination with other wound care treatments and is intended to be a safe and effective alternative to other debridement methods, such as surgical debridement or mechanical debridement.
What Is an Enzyme?
An enzyme is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst, facilitating and accelerating chemical reactions in living organisms. Enzymes bind to specific substrates and convert them into products, often through substrate-specific conformational changes and by reducing the activation energy required for the reaction.
Enzymes are essential to life and involve many metabolic processes, including digestion, energy production, and biosynthesis. They are highly specific, meaning that each enzyme is designed to catalyze a particular chemical reaction or set of reactions. Enzymes are often named after the substrates they act upon, with the suffix "-ase" added to the substrate name. For example, the enzyme that breaks down lactose is called lactase.
Enzymes are affected by various factors, such as temperature, pH, and concentration of substrates and inhibitors. Understanding enzyme function and regulation is important for many fields, including medicine, biochemistry, and biotechnology.
What Is a Proteolytic Enzyme?
A proteolytic enzyme is an enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids by catalyzing the hydrolysis of peptide bonds. These enzymes are also known as proteases or peptidases. Proteolytic enzymes are part of many biological processes, such as digestion, blood clotting, and tissue remodeling. In the digestive system, proteolytic enzymes break down food proteins into smaller molecules that the body can absorb and use. In blood clotting, proteolytic enzymes convert fibrinogen to fibrin, which forms the clot. Proteolytic enzymes are also used in various industrial and therapeutic applications. For example, they are used in the food industry to improve the texture and flavor of processed foods and in the production of cheese and beer. In medicine, proteolytic enzymes are used to treat conditions such as inflammation, pain, and digestive disorders. Some proteolytic enzymes are also being investigated for their potential anticancer properties.
What Are the Key Advantages of NexoBrid (Anacaulase)?
The key advantages of NexoBrid (anacaulase) are:
NexoBrid is designed to safely and gently remove dead or damaged tissue from burn wounds without damaging healthy tissue and is, therefore, considered a safe and gentle debridement product.
By removing dead or damaged tissue, NexoBrid can help to improve wound healing, reduce the time to complete wound healing, and promote the growth of new, healthy tissue in the wound; therefore it significantly improves wound healing.
NexoBrid is applied topically to the wound, making it a non-invasive alternative to other debridement methods, such as surgical debridement or mechanical debridement and therefore considered being non-invasive.
NexoBrid is designed to minimize pain during the debridement process, making it a more comfortable option for patients.
The use of NexoBrid has been shown to reduce the length of stay in the hospital for patients with severe thermal burns and the overall cost of care. NexoBrid is suitable for severe thermal burns, including full-thickness and partial-thickness burns.
Clinically Proven: The safety and efficacy of NexoBrid have been demonstrated in multiple clinical trials, and the product has been approved for use in the European Union and other countries.
Overall, NexoBrid is an effective and innovative treatment option for patients with severe thermal burns, offering several key advantages over other debridement methods.
What Are the Key Warnings and Precautions for Using NexoBrid?
Some of the key warnings and precautions related to the use of NexoBrid are:
Potential hypersensitivity reactions. Severe hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been reported with postmarketing use of anacaulasebcdb
Pain management. Necessary to manage pain as appropriate for an extensive dressing change of burn wounds. At least 15 minutes before NexoBrid-related procedures, ensure adequate pain control measures are in place.
Proteolytic injury to non-target tissues. NexoBrid is not recommended for treating burn wounds where medical devices or vital structures could become exposed during eschar removal. Protect any open wounds with skin-protectant or ointment gauze to prevent exposure to NexoBrid.
Coagulopathy. NexoBrid should be avoided in patients with uncontrolled disorders of coagulation. NexoBrid should be used with caution: (i) in patients on anticoagulant therapy or other drugs affecting coagulation, (ii) in patients with low platelet counts and an increased risk of bleeding from other causes. Monitor patients for possible signs of coagulation abnormalities and signs of bleeding.
Please check the following documentation for a detailed list of adverse reactions to NexoBrid.