Kerecis

Kerecis is a commercial-stage medical device company pioneering the use of intact, minimally processed fish skin as a biological scaffold for tissue regeneration. Its core technology leverages the structural similarity of North Atlantic cod skin to human skin and the absence of known viral transmission risks, allowing for gentle processing that preserves natural lipids and extracellular matrix components. The company has achieved significant commercial traction, particularly in the US wound care market, with products reimbursed by CMS and private payers, and is expanding its portfolio into surgical and plastic reconstructive applications. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, Kerecis combines a unique biologic platform with a strong sustainability narrative.

Proprietary platform using intact, minimally processed skin from North Atlantic cod. The gentle processing, enabled by no known viral transmission risk to humans, preserves the natural extracellular matrix structure and lipids, creating a biologic scaffold homologous to human skin for tissue regeneration.

Kerecis competes in the skin substitutes market against products derived from human tissue (e.g., amniotic membranes, cadaveric skin) and mammalian sources (porcine, bovine). Its key differentiation is the absence of viral risk allowing for minimal processing, no cultural/religious barriers, and a strong sustainability story.