EUROPEAN  TISSUE  REPAIR  SOCIETY

SSL INTERNATIONAL PLC

SSL International plc was formed in the summer of 1999 as a result of the merger between Seton Scholl Healthcare plc and London International Group plc. We are an international manufacturer and supplier of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The Company has a market capitalisation of over £1 billion and has over 7,000 employees world-wide, operating in more than 30 countries. The innovative product portfolio includes brand-leading Scholl footwear and footcare, Durex condoms, Marigold household and industrial gloves and Regent Biogel surgical gloves. We have a significant and growing wound care portfolio including the Lyofoam range of polyurethane foam dressings as well as bandages based on the Tubiton concept such as Tubigrip and in addition pioneering wound care technology. We hold leading positions in healthcare markets for continence care products, and over the counter pharmaceuticals. Complimentary to this portfolio is our ProSport range which includes popular leading sport brands.

An exciting growth area for the Company is the domain of wound management, which is a particular focus for organic growth.

WOUND CARE PORTFOLIO

SSL International plc has a wide-ranging wound management portfolio, which includes products for therapy areas such as infection control, wound irrigation, exudate absorption, wound debridement and compression bandaging. As market leaders in the UK for compression hosiery, we focus particularly on research in prevention of recurrence of venous ulceration. Scholl-branded hosiery is well known in Europe and our development continues to build on this heritage. We also have a treatment for eczema that utilises the ‘wet wrap’ technique using Epaderm, a paraffin based emollient, and Tubifast, a tubular dressing retention bandage.

Through the acquisition of Silipos, a global leader in gel technology, we have a range of gel-based products in the area of wound care, footcare, skin, prosthetics and orthopaedics, Silipos Geligne Medical Division produces a comprehensive line of products for Scar Management including Gel-Care Self adhesive sheets and strips. These products are all silicone-free and provide scar tissue reduction, through reduction of discolouration and thickness of both old and new hypertrophic and keloid scars and moisturisation and lubrication by action of the medical grade mineral oil which diffuses onto the scar and surrounding skin. The fluid-like nature of the gel enables it to cushion the scar and to moisturise the skin. These products are conformable and comfortable, and also reusable and washable.

Our major wound healing products are as follows:

Infection Control

• Metrotop, a metronidazole gel used in malodorous wounds, and licensed for use on fungating wounds and recently in the UK for leg ulcers and pressure sores.
• Betadine range (povidone iodine) in the UK and Eire only, and a related products Poviderm. These are highly effective against bacteria – including MRSA, viruses, fungi and spores.
• Manusept Antibacterial HandRub, for the disinfection of physically clean hands and for pre-operating cleansing. Manusept contains an emollient, which makes it kind to the skin.

Exudate Absorption

• The Lyofoam product range are a range of foam dressings that manage exudate by absorbing fluid and releasing vapour through the top moisture permeable layer, thereby keeping the wound surface layer moist not wet. This range includes adhesive backed dressings, non-adhesive dressings for use under compression therapy, carbon dressings to mask odour and shaped dressings for areas such as the sacrum and for securing tracheostomy tubing. All six sizes of Lyofoam Extra Adhesive are on UK Drug Tariff.

Wound Debridement

• Sterigel, a hydrogel based on corn bran derived extract is an effective debrider of a wide variety of wounds, including leg ulcers, fungating wounds and pressure sores. It has a unique easy-open pack that makes application easy and effective.

Compression Bandaging

• Steripaste, a preservative free zinc oxide impregnated soft bandage, which may be used as the wound contact layer with or without compression therapy. The bandage helps to evenly distribute the compression and the paste contributes to the moisturisation of the surrounding skin.
• System 4, a multi-component compression bandaging utilises a soft non-adherent wound contact layer with four different compression level bandages. It comprises the wound contact layer, Setoprime (knitted viscose dressing), Softexe (sub-compression wadding bandage), Setocrepe (a cotton, polyamide and elastane bandage), Elset (a type 3a light compression bandage) and Coban (a type 3b self-adhesive bandage from 3M).
• Setopress, a high compression bandage (extensible type 3c) provides the correct level of graduated compression for effective healing of venous ulceration. It has a visual extension guide printed onto the bandage for both high (40mm Hg) and moderate (30mm Hg) compression.

Wound Irrigation

• Steripod, a saline in a convenient easy to use format, along with Normasol, a sachet saline delivery system, are market leaders in this category. The antiseptic range of wound irrigation products, containing chlorhexidine amongst others, are the only products of this kind currently available.

Product innovation is closely linked with our work with key opinion leaders in wound care. Our market research team monitors customer opinions and welcomes requests for product innovation from nurse practitioners and other users.

Recent product launches have included Poviderm, which was listed on Drug Tariff in February 2000; Nor-masol Twist, an improved saline delivery system that was listed on Tariff in October 1999; Sterigel 8g variant which joined the 15g on Tariff in June 1999; and System 4 which was listed on Tariff as separate items in March 1999. The individual components are Softexe 10 x 3.5m, Setocrepe 10 x 4.5m, Elset 10 x 8m, Coban (3M) 10 x 6m. Several new sizes of Tubifast, a dressing retention bandage, have also been listed on Tariff earlier last year.

There is a strategy for marketing our woundcare products in Europe and other markets, for example Australia and America. Following the merger with LIG, we now have a medical network in certain European countries that will provide a platform on which to grow Lyofoam and Tubifast Wet Wraps – the major opportunity brands.

We are highly committed to maintaining market leader status and satisfying our customers in such areas as odour management and compression hosiery through the development of innovative new products.