The BIOGUARD™ line of dressings features a strong cationic biocide known as Poly (diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) or (pDADMAC). Use of this biocide in wound dressings, along with the bonding techniques utilized to intrinsically bind pDADMAC to base wound dressing substrates, is covered by nine U.S. patents /patents pending and 24 foreign counterparts. One key patent is US Patent # 7,045,673. During its development, the technology was featured in Time Magazine’s Annual Innovators issue in 2006. The article was entitled “Forging the Future: Microbe-Busting Bandages”, and profiled Dr. Greg Schultz, one of the developers behind the technology.

When bound to wound dressings, p(DADMAC) disrupts pathogens’ cell walls in the following way:

1. Normal bacterial membranes are stabilized by Ca+2 ions binding anionic charged phospholipids
2. p(DADMAC) rapidly displaces Ca+2 leading to loss of fluidity
3. Domains in the membrane then undergo a transition to more smaller micelles leading to membrane disruption .

BIOGUARD™ dressings are exhaustively tested for safety and biocompatibility. Direct dermal testing included skin irritation and sensitization, showing no irritation or sensitization. Sensitive in vitro models were used to assess cytotoxicity by multiple methods, including not only agar diffusion but also direct contact testing on fibroblast cell lines. This demonstrates that BIOGUARD™ impeded cellular growth no more than negative controls, while a market leading silver dressing showed significant cytotoxicity in the same assay.