Calgary Startup NanoTess Signs Deal with Diabetes Care Leader embecta to Bring Catalytic Wound Care to All Canadians

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Calgary Startup NanoTess Signs Deal with Diabetes Care Leader embecta to Bring Catalytic Wound Care to All Canadians

Canada NewsWire

CALGARY, AB, March 10, 2026 /CNW/ - Calgary startup NanoTess, an innovator in catalytic skin and wound care solutions, has signed a distribution agreement with embecta, the world's leading producer of insulin injection devices, to distribute NanoSALV Catalytic to 14,000+ pharmacies across Canada.

NanoSALV Catalytic heals wounds faster and is proven to be an effective early intervention and remedial treatment for diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and hard-to-heal wounds which are a significant concern to the 30 percent of Canadians living with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

embecta is a global leader in diabetes care, manufacturing and distributing innovative insulin injection devices to 30 million people in 100+ countries, worldwide. NanoSALV Catalytic is the first wound care product to be distributed by embecta in Canada.

NanoTess CEO Megan Leslie says the distribution agreement demonstrates the companies shared commitment to Canada's diabetic community and making wound care innovation more accessible to those who need it.

"Our goal with NanoTess was to create a product that could be used by a person as well as a healthcare system and reducing barriers to care has always been our highest priority as a company. Our partnership with embecta does exactly that, by making catalytic wound care accessible to every Canadian living with diabetes and every Canadian living with wound and skin concerns."

The 4,000,000+ adults living with diabetes in Canada are 20 times more likely to undergo non-traumatic lower limb amputations – 85 percent of which are preceded by foot ulcers. In 2024, the cost of diabetes care in Canada was more than $18 billion. Compromised circulation due to high blood sugar levels and loss of sensation due to diabetic neuropathy are two of the primary reasons people with diabetes face challenges in healing and increased risk of infection.

Jennifer Spearen, VP, General Manager, embecta Canada, says Canadians living with diabetes are seeking care options that support living a life unlimited by the disease.

"Awareness and education within the diabetes community have never been higher and demand for easy-to-use, early intervention treatments for concerns such as wounds has been clear for some time now. NanoSALV Catalytic is all those things and it was developed and produced right here in Canada."

Leslie agrees and adds that the 'Buy Canadian' movement has created momentum around homegrown wound care options like NanoSALV Catalytic.

"It is exciting to see buyers curious about provenance and to see Canadian healthcare innovation change the lives of Canadians, first."

More about NanoTess and NanoSALV Catalytic

  • NanoTess was co-founded in Calgary in 2020 by Megan Leslie and Julian Mulia with the aim of changing the way physicians, healthcare systems, and patients treat chronic wounds and skin conditions.
  • Their first product, NanoSALV Catalytic, was authorised by Health Canada in 2022 and has been adopted by some of Canada's biggest healthcare systems including AHS and BC Provincial Health Services Authority.
  • NanoSALV Catalytic was added to the Alberta Drug Benefit List for coverage in August 2025.
  • NanoSALV Catalytic contains NanoTess' proprietary Catalytic Treatment Matrix (CTM), which enables the body's natural healing progression and copper-dependent cellular signaling.
  • NanoSALV Catalytic optimizes, amplifies, and accelerates existing healing processes, which can become disrupted by aging, illness, or comorbidities.
  • Due to the delivery mechanism (micron-scale catalysts suspended in a gel) NanoSALV Catalytic is classed as a medical device, not a drug, and is an entirely new treatment category for healthcare systems.
  • NanoTess is part of the CAN Health Network, a national partnership that connects leading health organizations and companies to enhance the healthcare system through innovation.

SOURCE NanoTess Inc.