JUNE, 20248The Empathetic & Strategic VisionaryKerecisSometimes inspiration is a matter of "connecting the dots" from different experiences.Such is the case for Fertram Sigurjonsson, who is now the CEO, President and Chairman of Kerecis, the company using fish skin and fatty acids to heal damaged human tissue.The idea for Kerecis came from Fertram's summer-job experience as a young man. As a college student in his native Iceland, Fertram worked on fishing boats and in a fish-processing plant. After completing his graduate degree, he worked at a company that makes artificial limbs for amputees and realized that most amputations resulted from wounds that would not heal. Later he drew from these two experiences and got the idea of using fish skin to prevent amputations.In 2009 Fertram started systematically researching whether natural fish skin could help heal human wounds. He discovered that cold-water fish skin presents no risk of disease transmission and closes human wounds faster than other products. This research project grew into a commercial business that began selling its flagship product, Kerecis Omega3 Wound, in 2016. Healing Wounds and Regenerating Damaged Human TissuesThe Kerecis Omega3 products are intact fish skin, which is very similar to human skin, with the same thickness, elasticity and chemical composition. Under a microscope fish skin looks a lot like human skin. This similarity means that the body does not reject the fish skin. Surrounding cells migrate quickly to the fish-skin graft, speeding up healing. "Fish skin is also rich in naturally occurring Omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and promote wound healing," adds Fertram. After the wound is prepared, Kerecis Omega3 Wound is grafted onto the damaged tissue where it recruits the body's own cells and ultimately is converted into living tissue. The products typically combine with the body within 7 to 10 days, providing a bacterial barrier for the open wound, filling tissue deficits and creating healthy tissue."Our bodies possess amazing capabilities. Each cell possesses a blueprint of the entire body and senses its location," explains Fertram. "When we are wounded, cells migrate to the wound site and immediately start to lay down new tissue to repair the damage. Sometimes this process is not enough, because the wounds are too big, the patient is too sick, or some other factors impede healing. In these cases, our products help the body heal itself."The idea of using natural resources to prevent amputations became the inspiration for Kerecis.HEALTHCARELEADERS OF 2024MOSTChronicleIndustry
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