LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. — Fayette LaunchBox, a local, no-cost business accelerator, has signed its latest tenant, NeuEsse Inc., an emerging wound-and-burn-healing medical device company.
Fayette LaunchBox is an initiative designed to help regional entrepreneurs and Penn State affiliates develop their ideas into commercially viable products and services.
The facility is a joint venture between Penn State and the Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, under the Invent Penn State program, which encompasses 20 similar accommodations across Commonwealth Campuses.
NeuEsse Inc. was established in 2018. The company’s flagship product is OmegaSkin, a human skin substitute made from soy protein, which is used in the treatment of ulcers, wounds and burns to promote healing and skin regeneration.
Unlike other skin substitutes produced from animal or cadaverous sources, OmegaSkin is plant-based, shelf-stable, and cheaper to manufacture. The product heals full thickness wounds with intact hair follicles and sweat glands and results in less scarring. The company’s revolutionary spin blower device allows for “no touch” application at the point of injury, which is beneficial for the treatment of burns. Primary markets include military, hospital, clinics, first responders and nursing home settings.
“Our product is unique in that it becomes part of the body, absorbing all the wound exudate and providing the body with a scaffold to close the wound and help the body heal itself. Our test results are proven and published,” said CEO Joseph P. Connell. “My goal is to prevent painful skin grafts for as many people as possible, which further inflicts scars and wounds and traumatizes the skin.” Connell attributes his passion for this technology, in part, to surviving his own burn trauma as a child.
NeuEsse Inc. will use the Fayette LaunchBox facilities to continue research and product development, secure human clinical trials in the Pittsburgh area, and expand manufacturing opportunities in the region.
“We’re thrilled that NeuEsse is centralizing its operations here in our facility. Penn State and Fay-Penn have already facilitated some interesting connections to assist in bringing OmegaSkin to market, and I’m certain that more good news is forthcoming,” said Bob Shark, Fay-Penn executive director.
Fayette LaunchBox features collaborative workspaces, classrooms, light manufacturing labs, 3-D printers and other prototyping tools, product development services, legal and business services, programming and more.
“The Fayette LaunchBox is a world-class facility with world-class amenities and capabilities,” said Connell, a resident of Dunbar, Pennsylvania. “We’re concentrating all of our efforts in Fayette County and Pittsburgh, where world-renowned medical and academic organizations are partnering with us to commercialize the unique technology. We’re committed to being here for quite some time.”
To learn more, visit http://neuesse.com/. To request information about Fayette LaunchBox, email [email protected] or call 724-437-7913.
