Sterilization startup Phiex adds ex-Medtronic chief medical and scientific officer as advisor

Phiex advisor Dr. Rick Kuntz was formerly Medtronic’s chief medical and scientific officer. [Photo courtesy o Kuntz]

Retired Medtronic Chief Medical and Scientific Officer Dr. Rick Kuntz has joined Phiex as an advisor as the medical device sterilization startup works toward commercialization.

Phiex is developing a new method for medical device sterilization using dry powder that generates chlorine dioxide gas inside product packaging.

The company sees a big opportunity to offer an alternative to ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization, which is the most commonly used method in medtech but faces new safety regulations over health risk concerns.

“It’s clear that EtO’s going to have to go away. It’s just not going to be tolerated … and I just think this is the best alternative,” Kuntz said today in an interview with Medical Design & Outsourcing.

Kuntz j…

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  • June 7, 2023
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How Phiex could revolutionize medical device sterilization

CL Tian is co-founder and CEO of Phiex. [Photo courtesy of Phiex]

MedTech Innovator winner Phiex is working with medical device manufacturers on an alternative to ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization.

The new method uses dry chlorine dioxide gas generated inside the medical device’s product packaging. The powder turns into a microbe-destroying gas when exposed to light, Phiex co-founder and CEO CL Tian said in an interview.

Medical device manufacturers can either integrate the powder into their product packaging or as a secondary pouch. And so far, most devices that can be sterilized with EtO can be sterilized with the Phiex process, Tian said.

EtO is the leading sterilization method for medical devices. Manufacturers and contract sterilization firms use EtO on more than 20 billion medical devices every year, or approximately half of all devices that require sterilization.

But the medte…

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  • March 3, 2023
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