A new collagen-based implant for women with stress urinary incontinence
Official title: Collagen-based tissue guidance biofabric for treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women
Funded at Collamedix INC. · NIH-11096040 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is creating a new type of implant made from natural collagen to help women who experience stress urinary incontinence, offering a safer alternative to current mesh slings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Collamedix INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $985,797 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HD102241-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11096040 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is ultimately for women who experience stress urinary incontinence and are seeking effective and safer treatment options.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have stress urinary incontinence or are not candidates for surgical implants would not directly benefit from this specific treatment approach.
What this research studies
Many women experience stress urinary incontinence, and while synthetic mesh slings are common, they can lead to complications like chronic pain. Our goal is to develop a new implant using specially processed collagen, a natural protein found in the body. This collagen material is designed to be strong and guide your body to grow new, healthy tissue that mimics natural ligaments. Over time, the collagen implant will be absorbed and replaced by your own strong tissue, aiming to provide lasting relief without the risks associated with synthetic mesh.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new implant could offer women a safer and more natural treatment option for stress urinary incontinence, potentially reducing complications seen with current synthetic mesh slings.
How similar studies have gone: While synthetic mesh slings have been widely used, this approach with a resorbable, tissue-guiding collagen implant represents a novel strategy to address known complications.
Where this research is happening
-
Collamedix INC.
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shankar, Subba — Collamedix INC.
- Study coordinator: Shankar, Subba
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.