Purgo Scientific (South Jordan, UT) is tackling one of medicine’s most persistent problems—biofilm-related infections—with a novel, refillable antibiotic pouch. Designed for use in both humans and animals, its simplicity may redefine infection control in hospitals and beyond.
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Purgo Scientific, a pioneer in sustainable local drug delivery solutions for surgical infection management, is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Nieman to its board of directors, effective immediately.
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Purgo Scientific (South Jordan, UT) appoints medical device innovator Tim Nieman to its Board of Directors as it accelerates the path to commercialization of the Purgo Pouch, a breakthrough localized antibiotic delivery system for surgical infections in humans and animals
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Salt Lake City, UT — Purgo Scientific, a pioneer in sustainable local drug delivery solutions for surgical infection management, is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Nieman to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.
Tim Nieman brings over two decades of expertise in engineering, R&D, manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and business development. As Owner and CEO of ZIEN Medical Technologies, he has led multidisciplinary teams in developing advanced solutions for healthcare environments. Tim’s background as an accomplished entrepreneur, engineering professional and board member aligns strongly with Purgo Scientific’s mission to revolutionize infection control in both human and veterinary health.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Tim Nieman to the board,” said Michael Benjamin, CEO of Purgo Scientific. “His deep technical knowledge, operational leadership, and regulatory insight will be invaluable as we scale our efforts to bring the Purgo Pouch to surgeons worldwide. Tim has a proven record of transforming complex biomedical concepts into scalable commercial outcomes, and that is exactly what we need at this stage.”
Purgo Scientific has made significant progress in its mission to combat biofilm-related surgical site infections through localized drug delivery. The company’s flagship product, the Purgo Pouch, is designed to deliver antibiotics directly to the site of infection, offering clinicians sustained therapy with reduced systemic side effects. Recent preclinical data indicate that this approach could substantially improve treatment outcomes and patient safety.
About Tim Nieman
Tim Nieman is a seasoned leader with extensive experience in biomedical engineering and health technology. He currently serves as CEO of ZIEN Medical Technologies, where he directs innovation and operational excellence. Previously, he spearheaded R&D and regulatory initiatives across various healthcare projects, solidifying his reputation as an expert in translating laboratory breakthroughs into market-ready medical devices.
About Purgo Scientific
Purgo Scientific is committed to developing cutting-edge medical devices that transform infection treatment through localized, sustained drug delivery. The Purgo Pouch, engineered to combat surgical site infections, addresses a critical need in both human and veterinary healthcare. The company’s multidisciplinary team includes top scientists and clinicians working to bring this technology to market for the benefit of patients and healthcare providers globally.
Media Contact
Stephanie Morley, DVM
Vice Chair, Board of Directors
Email: stephanie@purgoscientific.com
Phone: (269)270-5345
Purgo Scientific looks forward to Tim Nieman’s strategic contributions as the company continues to advance its mission of delivering targeted antibiotic therapies directly to surgical sites.
Purgo Scientific’s seminal paper on the Purgo Pouch demonstrates the significant potential of sustained antibiotic release into local tissues through passive diffusion for managing biofilm-related infections. The paper was published in Biofilm, a leading peer-reviewed journal by Elsevier focused on biofilms, as a special issue of the Approaching Zero Initiative. To read the full publication, click here.
Utah Innovation Fund is pleased to announce its recent investment in Purgo Scientific, a De Novo biotech firm with a mission to revolutionize treatment of surgical site infections. The Salt Lake City-based startup is Utah Innovation Fund’s seventh investment to date out of its $30M state-backed fund.
“What’s unique about Purgo is their focus on biofilm-related infections,” said Stan Oaks, Senior Associate at Utah Innovation Fund. “Most available solutions for surgical site infections are designed to fight planktonic bacteria, but biofilm-related infections are the bigger killer,” he continued. “This is a huge pain point.”
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Utah Innovation Fund has announced its investment in Purgo Scientific, a Salt Lake City-based medical device company whose mission is to revolutionize treatment of surgical site infections through the development of an innovative delivery device that is designed to combat the biofilm infection crisis plaguing orthopedic surgery and other surgical applications. The company indicates that 300,000 surgery patients in the US are affected by surgical site infections annually.
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SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH, December 28, 2023 – Purgo Scientific has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its local drug delivery device, the Purgo Pouch.
Purgo Pouch is a refillable drug delivery device that sustains local high dose antibiotic therapy in a surgical or traumatic injury site; delivering the right therapy, to the right place, for the right length of time. It can be used in conjunction with drugs delivered systemically, or for stand-alone local tobramycin therapy. The device’s rate-controlling membrane is connected to a catheter and refilling port that is accessible from the outside and can be used to drain and refill the device for up to 30 days.
Traumatic injury wounds and accompanying infection are far more common in Service Members than the average population. Yet recognizing Purgo Pouch’s potential to address these persistent problems in civilian and military healthcare, the Department of Defense via the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs is supporting Purgo Pouch development with over $10.3M in contract funds.
Dustin Williams, PhD is the original Purgo Pouch inventor and attributes its current innovative state to Nicholas Ashton, PhD, and a remarkable team of engineers. Dr. Williams shared that the team “Envisions a world without surgical site or traumatic wound infections. That vision drives our development process, which has taken place for nearly 8 years now. Rates of surgical site infection have gone essentially unchanged over the past 40 years, especially for compound fractures in orthopedic surgery where the likelihood of infection is as high as 50%. We’re humbled, honored, and grateful that the FDA provided Breakthrough status to the Purgo Pouch. It’s a validation of just how desperately surgeons and patients need a solution.”
“An estimated 300,000 people in the US develop surgical site infections each year. These infections are the number one reason for hospital readmittance, resulting in billions of dollars in additional cost to the health care system annually. We aim to reduce that number significantly,” stated Mike Benjamin, CEO of Purgo Scientific.
About Purgo Scientific
Founded in 2016, Purgo Scientific is dedicated to improving local drug delivery and reducing surgical site infections, particularly those that develop in compound fractures. The technology development is being led by Dustin Williams PhD, Director of the Bone and Biofilm Research Lab at the University of Utah, and Nicholas Ashton, PhD.
About FDA Breakthrough Device Designation
An FDA initiative that expedites the review of innovative medical devices addressing life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating conditions, requiring enhanced effectiveness and significant advantages over existing cleared or approved alternatives.
CONTACT:
Mike Benjamin
Executive Board Chair & CEO
mike@purgoscientific.com
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