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Johnson & Johnson Wound Management
Johnson & Johnson Wound Management is a subsidiary of the Ethicon
franchise. It is specifically devoted to the specialized needs of patients
and clinicians in the field of wound healing, hence the company's stand:
'We are, First and Always, inventing the future of wound healing'.
Although the global headquarters are in New Jersey, much of the company's
assets, including R&D and Manufacturing are in Europe with facilities
in Switzerland, Yorkshire and Scotland. JJWM products are available and
actively supported in all the countries of greater Europe (and beyond).
JJWM products include several leading brands for the management of dermal
wounds including the TIELLE® family of dressings (Original, Lite and
Plus) for moist wound healing and protection, ACTISORB® Antimicrobial
Dressing with Silver and ADAPTIC® Non-Adhering Dressing. In addition
JJWM are pioneers in several of the more advanced fields of wound healing
with such brands as PROMOGRAN® Protease Modulating Matrix, INTEGRA®
Dermal Regeneration Template and the SURGICEL® / TABOTAMP® Topical
Absorbable Haemostat family. The Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical
product REGRANEX® Gel (becaplermin) is also marketed in several European
countries by JJWM.
JJWM invest significant resources into their R&D programme to ensure
continued advancement in the way wounds are treated and managed. The main
focus of R&D effort is in Gargrave, North Yorkshire in the UK.
This is the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Wound Care R&D and new
products are launched to many different markets throughout the world from
the Centre.
The team at Gargrave is made up of experienced scientists with a range
of different scientific and technical disciplines and project management
skills. Products developed from the group include INADINE®, ACTISORB®,
FIBRACOL®, ADAPTIC®, NU-GEL® and TIELLE®.
Protease Modulation
One of the latest products to be launched is PROMO-GRAN®. PROMOGRAN®
is a bioresorbable, amorphous, open-pored matrix and is an ideal biopolymer
for treating chronic wounds. It is a unique, first-in-class product designed
to modify the chronic wound environment by significantly reducing the
activity of key proteases while simultaneously protecting endogenous growth
factors. Many studies have shown that hard to heal wounds are characterised
by a prolonged inflammatory phase, which ultimately results in elevated
proteases and the subsequent degradation of growth factors; the resultant
effect being impaired or delayed healing.
Figure 1. Pathophysiology of Chronic Wounds
Thus, the ability to correct the destructive
environment of the chronic wound whilst providing an optimal moist wound
healing environment offers a novel and effective therapeutic approach
for the treatment of these wounds. PROMOGRAN is now available across all
of Europe and the USA and is proving to be a great clinical (as well as
commercial) success.
The R&D group's responsibilities don't just include developing new
inventive products but also ongoing support for existing brands within
the portfolio. This includes new sizes and configurations and also providing
additional supporting data for products.
Figure 2. Inventing the future of wound healing
Much of the R&D resource, however, is focussed on new transformational
wound healing technologies for the future and a number of the areas being
worked on are summarized in Figure 2 above.
In addition to product development, the Gargrave R&D team are highly
motivated to help advance the raw science of wound healing and to elucidate
which mechanisms are involved when healing is compromised. This is achieved
by running a number of selective internal research programmes together
with sponsored external studies with key opinion leaders. A number of
papers and abstracts have been published in this field. Recent publications
have focussed on the biochemical differences between acute and chronic
wounds and their characterisation. This approach to innovation is reflected
in the group's patent record which currently stands at over sixty filings
in the last four years.
From its foundation over one hundred years ago, seated in the teachings
of Joseph Lister and the launch of the world's first ready-made, ready-to-use
surgical dressings, right through to the launch of the world's first wound
protease modulator, Johnson & Johnson has always stood for innovation
to aid the clinician and patient. This ongoing commitment to innovation
is still going strong well into the second century since the company's
founding.
The Johnson & Johnson Credo
At Johnson & Johnson there is no mission statement that hangs on the
wall. Instead, for more than 50 years, a simple, one-page document - The
Credo - has guided the company's actions in fulfilling responsibilities
to customers, employees, the community and stockholders. The worldwide family
of Companies shares this value system in 36 languages spreading across Africa,
Asia/Pacific, Eastern Europe, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and North
America.
The Credo states that the Company's first responsibility is to the people
who use its products and services; the second responsibility is to its employees;
the third to the community and environment; and the fourth to the stockholders.
The original author General Johnson and his successors, have believed that,
in managing the business, if the Credo's first three responsibilities are
met, the stockholders will be well served.
Our Credo
We believe our first responsibility is to the doctors, nurses and patients,
to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services.
In meeting their needs everything we do must be of high quality.
We must constantly strive to reduce our costs in order to maintain reasonable
prices.
Customers' orders must be serviced promptly and accurately.
Our suppliers and distributors must have an opportunity to make a fair
profit.
We are responsible to our employees, the men and women who work with us
throughout the world.
Everyone must be considered as an individual.
We must respect their dignity and recognize their merit.
They must have a sense of security in their jobs.
Compensation must be fair and adequate, and working conditions clean,
orderly and safe.
We must be mindful of ways to help our employees fulfill their family
responsibilities.
Employees must feel free to make suggestions and complaints.
There must be equal opportunity for employment, development and advancement
for those qualified.
We must provide competent management, and their actions must be just and
ethical.
We are responsible to the communities in which we live and work and to
the world community as well.
We must be good citizens - support good works and charities and bear our
fair share of taxes.
We must encourage civic improvements and better health and education.
We must maintain in good order the property we are privileged to use,
protecting the environment and natural resources.
Our final responsibility is to our stockholders.
Business must make a sound profit.
We must experiment with new ideas.
Research must be carried on, innovative programs developed and mistakes
paid for.
New equipment must be purchased, new facilities provided and new products
launched.
Reserves must be created to provide for adverse times.
When we operate according to these principles, the stockholders should
realize a fair return.
For further information contact:
Mr Quentin Manley
European Marketing Director
Johnson & Johnson Wound Management
Coronation Road
Ascot, Berks, SL5 9EY, England
E-mail: qmanley@medgb.jnj.com
Telephone: +44 (0)1344 871 051
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