Surgical site infections (SSIs) and post-operative wound complications are among the most prevalent and costly challenges in modern healthcare. Traditional methods of wound care can be difficult for patients to manage and insufficient to prevent complications. Recognizing the need for a better solution, a multidisciplinary team of surgeons and engineers at Weill Cornell Medicine developed an elegant, accessible approach to negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT): the NPseal.
NPseal is a single-use, sterile dressing that applies continuous, preset suction (negative pressure) directly to closed surgical incisions, without batteries, tubes, or programming. It helps reduce fluid buildup, tension, and bacterial contamination, improving healing while minimizing patient burden and healthcare costs. The device includes a small hand pump with a built-in pressure indicator, a foam pad that absorbs fluid from the wound, and a breathable polyurethane film to promote evaporation and reduce skin irritation. Altogether, it delivers sophisticated wound protection in a remarkably simple, self-contained patch.
The innovation was initially developed under the Weill Cornell/NYP MINT Program and transitioned into a Weill Cornell spin-out startup, Guard Medical, Inc., founded in 2018. The Cornell Center for Technology Licensing (CTL) at Weill Cornell played a pivotal role throughout the commercialization journey:
- Collaborated with the inventors to protect intellectual property and know-how;
- Built the business relationship with the startup’s founder and CEO;
- Licensed the technology to Guard Medical;
- Continued supporting the company as it advanced toward regulatory, clinical, and reimbursement milestones.
With CTL’s support, Guard Medical raised $16 million in financing, obtained multiple FDA 510(k) clearances starting in 2020, and launched the product in multiple markets.
In 2025, Guard Medical was acquired by a global medical device company, further advancing NPseal’s path toward broad adoption and international impact.
