Johnson & Johnson and Closure Medical’s
Dermabond™ and Liquid Bandage™ Technology

ABM staff led the development and patenting of shelf stable topical wound closure cyanoacrylate adhesive formulations and assisted in developing and trialing the product’s manufacturing processes. ABM’s work led to the development of an FDA approved formulation and manufacturing processes for topical medical adhesives where Closure Medical had no consistently viable process. Closure Medical went into FDA trial production within 90 days of engagement and a national launch was enabled that same year.

J&J’s Ethicon® Brand Dermabond

Approved by the FDA in August 1998, Dermabond™ adhesive offered a safe and effective alternative to conventional suturing for certain types of lacerations. Based on a proprietary 2-octyl cyanoacrylate technology which allows a device to contain a monomer at room temperature that can polymerize rapidly upon activation and form a tenacious bond, Dermabond™ quickly found acceptance in emergency rooms and clinics all over the country. Dermabond adhesive polymerizes on contact with moisture on the skin’s surface to form a strong but flexible film that allows the patient to go about routine daily activities, even showering.

Dermabond™ can be used on short, long, and even deep lacerations or incisions, providing they are relieved of tension (subcutaneous and or deep dermal sutures may be required to relieve tension on particularly deep wounds) and easily approximated.

Dermabond™ adhesives:

• Provide the strength of healed tissue at seven days in less than three minutes
• Offer three-dimensional strength that is at least three times stronger than N-butyl cyanoacrylate, another leading type of adhesive
• Help protect and seal out bacteria that can lead to infection
• Promote a moist wound-healing environment that has been shown to speed the rate of epithelialization
• Cause less pain and relieve anxiety over sutures, particularly important for pediatric patients
• Have been found to be as safe and effective as conventional sutures with equivalent cosmetic results
• Save valuable clinical time in that they can be applied more quickly than sutures, eliminating the need for the following process
• Injecting a local anesthetic into the wound
• Waiting for the anesthetic to numb the area
• Closing the wound with sutures
• Placing a dressing over the wound
• Slough off naturally over time (usually five to ten days), eliminating the need for a follow-up visit to remove stitches

J&J’s BAND-AID® Brand Liquid Bandage

The consumer version of Dermabond™ is BAND-AID® Brand Liquid Bandage. In their own word’s, “Discover the ultimate liquid bandage: it stays on better than ordinary bandages, even on those hard-to-cover places. Liquid Bandage has a no-sting formula that dries quickly and forms a clear, flexible, breathable seal that is 100% waterproof. It stops minor bleeding and minor pain instantly, while keeping out water, dirt, and germs”.

Liquid Bandage is non-toxic and completely safe for use even on small children. It can be used on minor cuts, scrapes, and abrasions. Liquid Bandage will gradually wear off over the course of several days as the wound heals. There is no need to remove it.

Liquid Bandage works particularly well on minor cuts. Since it can be used quickly and forms a flexible seal, the product is great for
paper cuts (it can seal off surface nerve endings and relieve minor pain instantly) and minor cuts in areas that may be awkward for a regular bandage. Since Liquid Bandage is waterproof, it is an ideal way to seal minor cuts on hands exposed to water.

Click here to learn more about BAND-AID® Brand Liquid Bandage.

J&J’s Orabase® SOOTHE-N-SEAL® Canker Sore Relief

Available in drug stores across the United States, Orabase® SOOTHE-N-SEAL® canker sore relief is a liquid adhesive that provides instant pain relief for canker sores and small cuts in the mouth. The liquid adhesive creates a seal over the canker sore that prevents it from coming in contact with food, drink, and other irritants. An application of SOOTHE-N-SEAL® adhesive provides relief from pain for several hours.

Click here to learn more about SOOTHE-N-SEAL® canker sore relief.

For more information on the Dermabond™ and Liquid Bandage™, contact Closure Medical or Johnson & Johnson.

Issued US Patents with ABM include:

6,512,023 Stabilized monomer adhesive compositions
6,245,933 Transesterification method for making cyanoacrylates