Initial Anti-Biofilm Lab Results Suggest Ash Access Technology, Inc.'s Emerging Heparin-Replacement Catheter Lock Has Even Greater Infection-Prevention Attributes
LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Ash Access Technology, Inc. revealed more laboratory results today, adding anti-biofilm characteristics to previously reported antimicrobial results, thereby further strengthening MethLock's position as a serious contender to replace heparin in a $1 billion market.
"We plan to perform more rigorous tests, similar to the extensive tests we did to verify MethLock's antimicrobial attributes, but we are pleased with these first results," explains Roland K. Winger, vice president of engineering and quality assurance. "Since biofilm creates a friendly environment to host harmful bacteria associated with catheter-related
bloodstream infections (CRBSI), a key objective was to prevent biofilm growth. MethLock's anti-biofilm attributes help us understand its great potential for prevention of costly and deadly infection."
"These results just add to our growing excitement about the impact we expect MethLock to make toward saving lives threatened by catheter-related bloodstream infections," says Robert B. Truitt, president and CEO of Ash Access Technology, Inc. "By preventing biofilm buildup in catheters, and removing bacteria's favorite colonization grounds, we would expect to see a dramatic reduction in the billions of dollars estimated to be lost to these infections every year, (once our clinical trial is complete and we go to
market with MethLock in dialysis, oncology, and other chronic and acute
applications)."
Ash Access Technology, Inc. is a privately held company founded to develop
antimicrobial and vascular access technologies, devices and methodologies to
combat the deadly and expensive problem of catheter-related bloodstream
infections (with an emphasis on prevention).
Source: Ash Access Technology, Inc.
Newsletter
Stay prepared and protected with Infection Control Today's newsletter, delivering essential updates, best practices, and expert insights for infection preventionists.
The Green Revolution in SPD: From Hidden Cost to Frontline Change
August 3rd 2025As climate change accelerates, health care’s environmental impact faces increased scrutiny, with sterile processing departments (SPDs) emerging as key change agents. Often behind the scenes, SPD professionals can lead sustainability by turning routine practices into ecofriendly protocols that protect both patient and planetary health.
Flawed From the Start: Why Many IFUs for Surgical Instruments Fail in Real-World Sterile Processing
August 3rd 2025At the 2025 HSPA Annual Conference & Expo, Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, highlighted critical flaws in manufacturers’ instructions for use (IFUs) for orthopedic and neurosurgical instruments. From contradictory directions to unrealistic cleaning expectations, these IFUs often fail under real-world conditions, jeopardizing both patient safety and sterile processing workflows.
Breaking the Cycle of Silence: Why Sharps Injuries Go Unreported and What Can Be Done
August 3rd 2025Despite decades of progress in health care safety, a quiet but dangerous culture still lingers: many health care workers remain afraid to report sharps injuries, fearing blame more than the wound itself.
Reducing Hidden Risks: Why Sharps Injuries Still Go Unreported
August 3rd 2025Despite being a well-known occupational hazard, sharps injuries continue to occur in health care facilities and are often underreported, underestimated, and inadequately addressed. A recent interview with sharps safety advocate Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, a perioperative educational consultant, reveals why change is overdue and what new tools and guidance can help.
What Lies Beneath: Why Borescopes Are Essential for Verifying Surgical Instrument Cleanliness
August 3rd 2025Despite their smooth, polished exteriors, surgical instruments often harbor dangerous contaminants deep inside their lumens. At the HSPA25 and APIC25 conferences, Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and her colleagues revealed why borescopes are an indispensable tool for sterile processing teams, offering the only reliable way to verify internal cleanliness and improve sterile processing effectiveness to prevent patient harm.
