Patients Treated with SilverSeal Experienced Significantly Less Scarring and Improved Skin Functionality Following Surgical Incision

LANGHORNE, Pa., Oct. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NEXGEL, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXGL, NXGLW), ("NEXGEL" or the "Company"), a leading provider of ultra-gentle, high-water-content hydrogel products for healthcare and consumer applications, announced today that SAGE Journals' Scars, Burns and Healing publication, a peer-reviewed journal that focuses on scar and burns research, has published new data from a study evaluating the impact of NEXGEL's SilverSeal^® hydrogel dressing on postoperative scarring and complications. The results demonstrated significant scar improvement in patients treated with SilverSeal.

Study Design:

• SilverSeal was used post-surgery as an antimicrobial dressing to evaluate its ability to aid in the healing process.
• 40 foot and ankle patients (aged 32 to 66) were included in the double-blind, randomized study with 20 patients in each group.
• Postoperatively, the treatment group was given a SilverSeal hydrogel dressing, and the control group was treated with a standard petroleum-based dressing.
• Scarring and complications were evaluated, and follow-up was performed at two, six and 12 weeks post-surgery using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), which measures a scar's quality from both the physician and patient's perspective.
• Patients were not excluded in the study based on gender, age or comorbidity.

Results:

• The treatment group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the POSAS observer score and observer opinion at six and 12 weeks (p<0.001).
• Patients in the treatment group reported significantly reduced pain, compared with the control group, at 12 weeks (p<0.001).
• Patients reported that itching at the surgical site declined over time for both groups (p<0.001), with significantly less itching reported by the treatment group (p=0.027).
• The scar area considerably decreased for the treatment group compared to the control group at six and 12 weeks (p≤0.002).
• Neither group experienced post-operative complications.

"Surgical incisions all result in scar formation, some more pronounced than others," said Dr. Stephen Brigido, Section Chief of Foot and Ankle Reconstruction and Fellowship Director at the Orthopedic Institute at Lehigh Valley Hospital. "As skin heals and scar formation occurs, patients often experience discomfort such as sharp pain, burning and itching. After 12 weeks of observing these patient groups, we saw noteworthy differences when comparing the control group with the treatment group. We found that patients treated with NEXGEL's SilverSeal hydrogel dressing experienced significantly less negative symptoms and regained their skin functionality quickly. We also found that the overall scar area significantly decreased in patients who used SilverSeal."

Dr. Brigido continued, "The most important result we observed was a significant decrease in skin and scar incisional pain experienced by patients in the hydrogel group, which was observed throughout the study. As a surgeon, this suggests a marked change in how patients undergoing surgery should be treated. These results are promising for not only for foot and ankle surgery but also for healing all postsurgical incisions."

The study took place at Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute.

About NEXGEL, INC.

NEXGEL is a leading provider of ultra-gentle, high-water-content hydrogels for healthcare and consumer applications. Based in Langhorne, Pa., the Company has developed and manufactured electron-beam, cross-linked hydrogels for over two decades. Alongside its strategic partners, NEXGEL has formulated more than 200 different combinations to bring natural ingredients to gentle skin patches that can be worn for long periods of time with little to no irritation.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") (which Sections were adopted as part of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "prospects," "outlook," and similar words or expressions, or future or conditional verbs, such as "will," "should," "would," "may," and "could," are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated results, performance, or achievements for many reasons including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company disclaims any intention to, and undertakes no obligation to, revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, a future event, or otherwise. For additional risks and uncertainties that could impact the Company's forward-looking statements, please see the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, including but not limited to the discussion under "Risk Factors" therein, which the Company filed with the SEC and which may be viewed at http://www.sec.gov/.

Investor Contact:
Valter Pinto
KCSA Strategic Communications
212.896.1254
valter@kcsa.com 

Media Contacts:
Raquel Cona / Michaela Fawcett
KCSA Strategic Communications
212.896.1204 / 978.995.4683
rcona@kcsa.com / mfawcett@kcsa.com

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