The European Union Intellectual Property Office has granted a patent for an innovative invention entitled A urinary drainage prosthesis for patients without a bladder and method for manufacturing it (EP 4570276). The patent was granted on 31 December 2025.
The patent application was developed as part of the SmartAuci project within the STRATEGMED programme, carried out by a Polish interdisciplinary science-industry consortium formed by Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz), Sieć Badawcza Łukasiewicz – Łódzki Instytut Technologiczny in Łódź, Vet-Lab Laboratory in Brudzew, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research (IPPT PAN) in Warsaw, Specjalistyczny Szpital Miejski im. M. Kopernika in Toruń, and Wytwórnia Sprzętu Medycznego GALMED Katarzyna Meger, a medical technology manufacturer based in Bydgoszcz.
The inventors representing IPPT PAN are: Dr hab. Eng. Tomasz Kowalczyk, Dr Eng. Beata Niemczyk-Soczyńska, Dr Eng. Olga Urbanek-Świderska, and Dr Eng. Krzysztof Zembrzycki.
The invention concerns a urinary drainage prosthesis for patients without a bladder following radical cystectomy or severe urinary bladder trauma. The solution addresses one of the key challenges of modern urology: how to safely, permanently, and biocompatibly substitute bladder function while minimizing the risk of complications and improving patients’ quality of life.
Previous solutions have involved a high risk of urine leakage, chronic inflammation, and serious complications resulting from the body’s immune response to synthetic materials. Although alternative methods such as urostomy and nephrostomy are clinically safe, they often significantly reduce patients’ quality of life and everyday comfort. The designed prosthesis offers an optimal balance between safety and functionality by combining advances in materials engineering, biology and regenerative medicine.
The core innovation lies in the structure of the prosthesis, which consists of an enhanced polymer mesh tube with surfaces modifications designed to maximize biocompatibility. The inner surface, coated with cross-linked sodium hyaluronate, supports tissue protection and proper urine flow. The outer surface, coated with a nanofiber layer made of cross-linked collagen and seeded with mesenchymal stem cells, actively promotes tissue regeneration and integration of the prosthesis with the patient’s body.
Research conducted on a large animal model has demonstrated a significant reduction of inflammatory respones and a marked improvement in regenerative processes following the implantation of the mesenchymal stem cell-enhanced prosthesis. These results indicate a strong clinical potential and promising prospects for practical medical application.
The patent represents an important step toward the development of a new generation of safe, bioactive implants capable not only of replacing the lost organ function, but also of actively supporting the body’s healing processes. The invention is significant for both Polish and European science, and above all, for patients, offering the prospect of greater safety, fewer complications, and improved comfort and dignity of life following major urological procedures.
Congratulations to all the inventors!
