Calgary-Based NanoTess Secures Government of Canada Funding to Adapt its Validated Catalytic Technology for Defence Use

CALGARY, AB, April 27, 2026 /CNW/ - NanoTess, a biotechnology startup which makes innovative catalytic healing solutions, is receiving a Government of Canada investment grant to prepare its commercialized civilian technology for defence applications.

NanoTess manufactures NanoSALV Catalytic, a wound and burn care treatment (a gel) powered by CTM, its proprietary catalytic technology. CTM employs micron-scale catalysts which work on the surface of injured tissue, leveraging copper to fine-tune regenerative signalling and re-establish key biochemical signals, restoring healing capacity.

Deployed in NanoSALV Catalytic, CTM enables accelerated healing, modulates inflammation, and acts as a broad-spectrum anti-microbial and anti-viral. NanoSALV Catalytic is a Health Canada authorized medical device which is used by physicians, surgeons, and healthcare systems across Canada.

The Government of Canada investment grant supports the translation of civilian technical capability for defence applications, recognizing catalytic biotech, like CTM, as a potentially critical healthcare solution for military health and recovery.

Dr. Eric Fung is part of the Edmonton Firefighters Burn Treatment Unit at the University of Alberta Hospital and works within Alberta Health Services. He has been using NanoSALV Catalytic to treat and rehabilitate patients with traumatic thermal injuries and complex wounds which closely resemble those acquired in military operations.

"I have used it in patients with poor access to care and seen it support prolonged dressing intervals, reduce pain, accelerate epithelialization, and hasten surgical and chronic wound recovery," he states. "For the military, that means a faster recovery and return-to-duty from soft tissue injuries and burns and a chance to stabilize wounds longer, reduce dressing complexity, and preserve limbs when evacuation is contested. It will also support healing in hospitals and rehabilitation, reducing pressure on already strained systems."

NanoTess' co-founder and CEO, Megan Leslie, agrees that CTM is like a Swiss Army Knife for healing in the field.

"The catalysts within CTM are designed to be tough, durable, and versatile, making them well-suited to austere environments and extreme temperatures. CTM is easily dispersed within a ruggedized gel that quickly conforms to irregular wound and burn topographies and continues to be effective over long periods of time, provided it remains in direct contact with the injury," she explains. "All these attributes make our technology ideal for the unpredictable and inhospitable environments which are often encountered by our Armed Forces and civilians in disaster zones or military operations without a timely evacuation option."

NanoTess was founded in 2020 with the aim of commercializing advanced catalytic healing solutions and reducing barriers to care. CTM, the company's first fully commercialized technology, is indicated for use in a range of acute, traumatic, and complex wounds and burns including surgical incisions, lacerations, fragmentation injuries, and frostbite.

Leslie says the science behind CTM is proven in agile healthcare systems and mobile outreach teams using NanoSALV Catalytic.

"NanoSALV Catalytic's durability and effectiveness is proven by frontline healthcare heroes from coast to coast, including paramedics and community health professionals working with vulnerable and unhoused individuals, often with limited access to shelter, sanitation, and hygiene resources," she says. "Through our continued dialogue with these incredible teams, we know that our technology makes a difference in the lives of people with complex healing challenges, every day."

Kathryn Ambler, Executive Director, Alberta Aviation, Aerospace and Defence, believes investing in the development of domestic dual-use biotechnologies, like CTM, is central to domestic economic resilience.

"High-value dual-use innovations, such as NanoSALV Catalytic, significantly accelerate the delivery of critical capabilities to our military through the utilization of proven, validated technologies. By driving advancements in both the civilian and military sectors, companies like NanoTess play a key role in meeting the nation's goals for technological advantage within the Canadian Armed Forces while fundamentally improving lives globally," she explains.

"Alberta Aviation, Aerospace and Defence commends Megan, Julian, and their team on this achievement and look forward to working together to solidify Alberta's position as a competitive, cohesive leader in global security."

Leslie adds that the investment marks a significant milestone in NanoTess' trajectory.

"Early-stage research and development of CTM was funded by a Canadian National Defence grant in early 2021. Since then, we have commercialized that technology in a hospital-grade product, NanoSALV Catalytic, which positively impacts the lives of Canadians living with skin and wound challenges."

Receiving a further investment grant from the Government of Canada to accelerate the development of NanoTess' capabilities for defence applications validates CTM as a dual-use technology with the potential to positively impact thousands of individuals in the Canadian Armed Forces and beyond.

NanoTess is exhibiting / presenting at the following defence sector conferences:

• Trauma Association of Canada Conference, April 22-23, 2026, Calgary
• Alberta Aviation, Aerospace & Defence Summit, May 3-5, 2026, Edmonton
• Canadian Association of Defence and Securities Conference (CANSEC), May 27-28, 2026, Ottawa

For more information about NanoTess, visit www.nanotess.com

More about NanoTess, CTM, 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.

NanoTess' first commercialized technology, CTM, enables the body's natural healing progression and copper-dependent cellular signalling. It optimizes, amplifies, and accelerates existing healing processes, which can become disrupted by aging, illness, or comorbidities.

NanoSALV Catalytic, powered by CTM, is currently accessible across 2,500 hospitals and healthcare facilities and 14,000 pharmacies, nationwide.

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. It was added to the Alberta Drug Benefit List for coverage in August 2025.

Due to the nature of catalysts, NanoSALV Catalytic is classed as a medical device, not a drug, and is an entirely new treatment category for healthcare systems.

SOURCE NanoTess Inc.

NanoTess Media Enquiries: Sharon Crowther, Marketing Lead, [email protected] / 4038636414