CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 7, 2026--
Kerecis, the company pioneering the use of sustainably sourced fish-skin in cellular therapy and tissue regeneration, will showcase its intact fish-skin technology and highlight new clinical data on pressure ulcers at the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) Spring 2026, taking place April 8-11 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company will also emphasize expanded multi-specialty adoption. Visitors can explore Kerecis' portfolio of intact fish-skin grafts and complementary Biatain wound dressing solutions at Booth 1508, clinical insights and clinical trial results on the intact fish-skin platform will be presented at an industry-supported symposium, while clinicians present 13 abstracts on intact fish-skin technology during the symposium.
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The industry-supported symposium titled, “Reeling in Results: Clinical Applications of Fish-Skin Grafts in Chronic and Atypical Wounds.” will take place on Thursday, April 9, 2026, from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM EDT, and will feature clinical insights on real-world applications of fish-skin grafts across complex and atypical wounds and the new clinical research.
The clinical insights on real-world applications of fish-skin grafts across complex and atypical wounds will be presented by Dr. Anamika Agrawal, Dr. John C. Lantis II, and Carrie McGroarty, PA-C, MPAS, EdD.
The new clinical research will be presented by Dr. John C. Lantis II. The real-world trial found that intact fish-skin demonstrated superior clinical effectiveness when compared with standard care for treating severe, hard-to-heal Stage 3 and 4 pressure ulcers in 80 patients.
Key findings include:
The research was authored by Dr. Hongyu Miao (Florida State University), Ben LeBoutillier (Intellicure, LLC), Dr. John C. Lantis II (Mount Sinai West and Icahn School of Medicine), and Dr. Caroline Fife (Intellicure, LLC; Baylor College of Medicine). The study evaluated a highly complex, real-world patient population with only 37.5% of the patients being ambulatory and a high prevalence of severe comorbidities, including diabetes (27.5%), peripheral artery disease (25.0%), and autoimmune disease (25.0%) and is available as a pre-print.
"These findings provide crucial, real-world validation for the clinical and economic value of the Kerecis intact fish-skin technology," said Fertram Sigurjonsson, Coloplast Executive Vice President and Kerecis Inventor & Founder. "Stage 3 and 4 pressure ulcers represent a massive burden to patients and the broader healthcare system. Demonstrating statistical superiority in this highly complex cohort underscores the vital medical necessity of advanced biologic therapies when standard, conservative measures stall."
Furthermore, 13 abstracts spanning multiple specialties, underscoring the growing body of evidence supporting intact fish-skin technology will be presented at the symposium’s poster reception on Friday, April 10, 2026, 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM EDT in Hall C1.
With participation from surgeons, podiatrists, vascular specialists, and advanced practice providers, Kerecis’ presence at SAWC Spring reflects continued adoption across specialties and care settings, supported by expanding clinical evidence and real-world experience.
Visitors to Booth 1508 will have the opportunity to engage with clinical experts, explore new data, and learn how intact fish-skin technology is being applied to address real-world challenges in tissue repair.
About Kerecis
Kerecis, founded by Fertram Sigurjonsson, develops intact fish-tissue derived products for cellular therapy, tissue regeneration, and protection. When grafted onto damaged human tissue or implanted, the patented material supports the body’s own processes to heal and regenerate. Because no viral or prion transfer risk exists between Atlantic cod and humans, Kerecis products are only gently processed and retain their similarity to human tissue. The gentle processing preserves the material’s original three-dimensional structure, maintaining its inherent natural strength, complexity, and molecules (such as fatty acids). Clinical studies show that Kerecis products heal wounds faster than competitors. Kerecis is the only global manufacturer of medical devices containing intact fish-tissue and is the fastest growing company in the U.S. xenograft biologics skin market. Products include SurgiBind ® /SurgiClose ®, GraftGuide ®, MariGen ®, and Shield™ for various medical applications. Committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Kerecis uses sustainably sourced Icelandic fish processed with renewable energy. Kerecis is a part of Coloplast, a leading supplier of intimate healthcare products. For more information about Kerecis and its clinical research, visit www.kerecis.com.
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Kerecis mesh Clinic Gx large
Steve Dunn, Kerecis Exhibitor at Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) Spring 2026, April 8-11
HONOLULU (AP) — An anesthesiologist accused of trying to kill his wife during a cliff-side hike near a popular scenic lookout in Hawaii struck her so hard with a rock that pieces of it broke off in her scalp, a prosecutor told jurors during closing arguments Tuesday.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the national domestic violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233 in the U.S.
Gerhardt Konig, 47, had a plan and backup plans for murdering his wife, Arielle Konig, during a weekend trip to Honolulu for her birthday in March 2025, deputy prosecutor Joel Garner said. He tried to push her off a cliff, and when that didn't work he tried to stab her with a syringe filled with an unknown substance.
And when that didn't work, he grabbed the rock, Garner said.
"Every backup plan ends in Arielle’s death,” Garner said, displaying the rock and photos of her injuries.
The doctor's lawyer told jurors Tuesday there were no such plans, and he repeatedly sought to cast doubt on Arielle Konig's account. Gerhardt Konig has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, and he insists he was defending himself from his wife, who he says attacked him with the rock first.
If Gerhardt Konig had wanted to kill his wife and had access to a syringe in a remote area, attorney Thomas Otake suggested, wouldn't he have drugged her and then thrown her from the cliff, rather than having started a scuffle before attempting to fill the syringe as he was wrestling with her?
“You would use the syringe first,” Otake said. “It makes no sense.”
The trial started last month, nearly a year after Gerhadt and Arielle Konig went on a hike on the Pali Puka trail in Honolulu that ended with her bloodied and screaming that he had tried to kill her.
Their two young sons stayed home on Maui while the Konigs were on the trip. Near a lookout offering sweeping views, Gerhardt Konig— upset about his wife's relationship with a coworker — attacked her, Garner said. It was only because two other hikers interrupted the assault that he stopped, Garner said.
The trial, with testimony livestreamed by Court TV, has aired the couple's marital problems leading up to the hike, along with their versions of what happened on the trail.
Gerhardt Konig testified that his wife was having an affair, which he confirmed by unlocking her phone while she slept. The relationship, which Arielle Konig characterized as an “emotional affair” involving flirty messages with a coworker, came up during the hike.
Arielle Konig testified that her husband grabbed her and moved her toward the cliff's edge but she threw herself on the ground in an attempt to hold on. He straddled her and had a syringe in his hand, she said, but she batted it away. She bit his forearm and squeezed his testicles in attempt to get him off her, she said.
Her husband denied pushing her toward the edge and testified that she hit him with a rock on the side of his face. He wrestled the rock away and hit her with it twice in self-defense, he said.
“He reacted, and then he felt horrible about it," Otake said. "He never wanted to hurt her.”
But the prosecutor told the jury that all of the blood found on the rock and on clothing belonged to Arielle Konig, not her husband.
Gerhardt Konig also denied having any syringes on the mountain, or trying to stab his wife. His defense attorney said no syringe was found at the scene because he never had one.
Otake said Gerhardt Konig was not someone who would try to commit murder, but someone who was struggling with infidelity and trying to do his best. Otake quoted from a heart-shaped birthday card Gerhardt Konig had written to his wife, calling her “the heart of our family” and saying, “The kids and I hit the jackpot with you.”
Gerhardt Konig testified that as he watched his wife crawl away, he believed his marriage and career were over, and he decided to jump to his death. But first, he called his adult son from a previous marriage. The son told authorities that his father said he "tried to kill your stepmom” — a confession Gerhardt Konig denied having made.
During that call, the defendant made no reference to having struck his wife in self-defense, Garner said.
He spent about eight hours hiding on the mountain before deciding to come down, and even then he tried to flee when confronted by police, Garner said.
His wife has since filed for divorce.
Associated Press writer Gene Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report.
Defense attorney Thomas Otake delivers closing arguments during the attempted murder trial of Gerhardt Konig, in a courtroom, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin, Pool)
Gerhardt Konig, left, talks to his defense lawyer Thomas Otake after closing arguments in his attempted murder trial in a courtroom, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin, Pool)
Deputy Prosecutor Joel Garner holds a rock as evidence while presenting closing arguments during the attempted murder trial of Gerhardt Konig in a courtroom, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin, Pool)
Gerhardt Konig appears in court before closing arguments in his attempted murder trial, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin, Pool)
Defendant Gerhardt Konig, left, talks to his defense attorney Thomas Otake before closing arguments in his attempted murder trial, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin, Pool)
Gerhardt Konig appears in court before closing arguments in his attempted murder trial, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin, Pool)
FILE - Hawaii doctor Gerhardt Konig appears before a judge via video during an arraignment hearing after being indicted on allegation of attempting to kill his wife, April 7, 2025, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File)
