ANAHEIM, Calif.—Dow Corning Corp. showcased a number of products, including two new silicones, at the recent MDM West show in Anaheim.
It unveiled Silastic Q7-78XX, a new series of elastomers designed for Class 3 biomedical devices. The product comes in Shore A harnesses of 40, 50 and 70.
It also launched C6-7XX, a liquid silicone rubber for short-term or non-implant applications—or Class 2 devices.
Gary Lord, global strategic marketing director for health care at Dow Corning, said the two new silicones combined with the firm's QP1 silicone designed for Class 1 devices give Dow Corning a bundle of products designed for all classes of medical devices.
“The industry is evolving,” Lord said. “It's always looking for new products and new innovations.
“We've had a series of product launches, culminating with what you're seeing at this show, which are two new products that are being added to the very highest grade of products we offer to the health care market.”
Lord said the world of medical devices is too big to have one product fit all needs. The same material used in a Class 3 device—a device that's designed to go into the body for a long period of time—doesn't make the same economic sense as one used for a Class 1, a device that simply needs to work. The Class 2 range is a device that will come in contact with bodily fluid.
Dow Corning's Silastic Q7-78XX and C6-7XX both are produced at its health care facility in Midland, Mich., which also is the same city as the firm's headquarters. The QP1 can be produced worldwide with oversight from the health care division.
The QP1 is the most cost-effective grade, designed for mass production, processability and cost effectiveness. It can be injection molded 24/7.
“We've tried to bundle all that together to make it easier for people who are making new developments and new innovations to choose the right product the first time,” Lord said. “We help them focus in on the key applications, properties and regulatory information that they need.”
In addition to the two new silicones, Dow Corning also launched two adhesives—the SSA-NG79900 soft skin adhesive and SSA-NG72XX pressure sensitive adhesive.
The soft skin silicone adhesive is designed for temporary adhesion to the body, Lord said. It's used to treat chronic wounds for people with fragile skin to prevent re-damaging the skin once the adhesive is removed. The adhesive also is used for sensors that are applied to the body, again so that they don't damage the skin once removed.
Dow Corning's pressure sensitive adhesive is designed to be tougher for longer-term use, Lord said. This adhesive may not be as forgiving as the soft skin one, but it's designed to make sure an item stays in place—such as a prosthetic limb.
“We always look at what we have to do going forward,” he said. “We're being bought by Dow Chemical, so it's difficult to say what's going to happen in the next few months. But everyone is excited. With Dow behind us we're going to have a much bigger product portfolio. Our ability to influence the market and help it expand is just going to get bigger.”