Welcron aims to localize vascular replacement stents within three years

Kwon Eun-hee, head of the Welcron’s R&D center [Photo provided by Welcron]

Welcron Co., a Korean industrial fiber maker, is planning to localize artificial blood vessel tubes for vascular replacement within three years, following the country’s first commercialization of its vascular stents developed independently in 2016.

According to Welcron on Wednesday, the company plans to quickly develop a product line of artificial blood vessels that can replace human blood vessels by enhancing its R&D capabilities and commercialize them by 2026.

“We plan to commercialize a wide range of products by adding various types of artificial blood vessels, such as Y-shaped and wrinkled types, and expand cooperation with relevant institutions,” said Kwon Eun-hee, head of the Welcron’s R&D center, told Maeil Business Newspaper.

If artificial blood vessel tubes for vascular replacement are developed in addition to blood vessel stents for vascular expansion, the supply risk in the domestic artificial blood vessel market, which has been dependent on imports, is expected to be significantly resolved.

In 2016, Welcron developed ePTFE, a material for stents designed to expand blood vessels using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and succeeded in commercializing it the following year. The ePTFE is a micrometer-thin version of PTFE that combines carbon and fluorine atoms. It is biocompatible and durable and can be used safely in the human body.

“Welcron is the only Korean company that has solved the problem of developing artificial blood vessels, which requires advanced material processing technology, and overcoming issues such as rejection and side effects in the body,” Kwon said.

Welcron’s strength is its micro-processing technology, which enables it to produce ePTFE product sizes ranging from 4 millimeters to 20 millimeters in diameter and 50 μm to 1000 μm (0.05 to 1 mm) in thickness, depending on the performance required by the customer, Kwon added.

With this technology, Welcron showcased 15 of its artificial blood vessel products at the International Medical and Hospital Equipment Show last month.

Welcron said it aims to achieve performance and price competitiveness equivalent to or better than imported products for artificial blood vessel tubes for vascular replacement.