Patient safety and ease of use is what it boils down to, according to representatives from Eastman Chemical Co., MonuMedical LLC and Plas-Tech Engineering Inc. At a recent industry trade show, officials from all three firms were on hand to discuss the development of MonuMedical’s Flowarray line of next-generation stopcocks.

Citrus Heights, Calif.-based MonuMedical created Flowarray with the goal of delivering “safe, simple, disposable” infusion devices to the medical market, according to the companies.

The Flowarray two-port, three-port and four-port stopcocks feature ultra-clear flow delineating ports made with Eastman’s Tritan co-polyester, a new-generation co-polyester that the company claims is tough, chemical-resistant and free of bisphenol A (BPA).

The clear body and ports of the stopcocks are made with the Tritan co-polyester, and use colored directional arrows to indicate flow. The user is able to readily identify which ports are open (green) and which are closed (red). This patented flow delineating system is embedded in all six of the stopcock models.

MonuMedical, a start-up company that develops next-generation infusion devices, chose Tritan because of its chemical resistant properties, allowing for decreased risk with chemotherapeutic drugs and other harsh aggressive agents that might be used in hospital or laboratory settings, officials noted. The company’s patented Flowarray stopcocks are injection-molded devices with limited assembly, well-defined markets and are Class 2 devices. Flowarray devices will be available in four models this spring and are the first products in a series of devices planned for development over the next two years.

“We have never worked with a large company that offers this kind of support and service,” said Dave Duncan, M.D., president, founder and chief medical officer of MonuMedical. “Eastman has provided detailed input and helped with molding and resin selection, giving us fantastic customer service.”

Plas-Tech Engineering, a custom medical device injection-molding firm registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and based in Lake Geneva, Wis., manufactures the device. The company has more than 20 years of experience in medical device, biotech and pharmaceutical injection molding solutions and is an expert in tooling and molding glass alternative materials for syringes, insert molding, multi-shot, in-mold labeling and thin-wall solutions.

“Plas-Tech’s approach to MonuMedical’s molding needs led to a 30 percent reduction in tooling costs, with the ability to incorporate all models into the budget.”

“Eastman is committed to providing unmatched technical support throughout the entire development process, from design support to processing and secondary operations,” said Gopal R. Saraiya, global segment leader, medical devices for Kingsport, Tenn.-based Eastman. “We are dedicated to continuing to expand and enhance market opportunities in which Eastman Tritan co-polyester can be used to benefit patient comfort and safety.”

A non-medical Flowarray product line for laboratories, research facilities, universities and veterinary services will be available for purchase on the MonuMedical website beginning in March. The medical line for hospitals, original equipment manufacturers and outpatient facilities will be available for purchase in June, pending FDA section 510(k) acceptance.