Addison-based Solenic Medical won a patent for technology that uses alternating magnetic fields to fight infections on metallic medical implants. Its alternating magnetic field technology is at the core of a treatment platform the company is now moving into a pivotal clinical trial.

The patent covers a system for positioning a treatment coil relative to a metallic implant so the alternating magnetic field can be applied at the correct orientation, guiding a user to reposition the coil when needed. The approach heats the surface of an infected implant to disrupt bacterial biofilm without removing it. The application was filed in December 2021 and issued in about four and a half years. David Greenberg of Coppell, John Tepper of Carrollton and Rajiv Chopra of Dallas are the listed inventors.

The patent landed days after a significant regulatory step for the company. On June 23, Solenic said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its Investigational Device Exemption for the SOLA-2 Alternating Magnetic Field System. This cleared the company to begin a pivotal trial in patients with periprosthetic joint infections, which occur around an artificial joint. The company said the trial will evaluate the system in patients with infected knee replacements at national orthopedic and academic centers. It expects to begin enrollment in the second half of 2026.

Periprosthetic joint infections are among the most difficult complications in joint-replacement surgery because bacteria form biofilm on implant surfaces that resists antibiotics, and treatment often requires additional surgery or implant removal. Solenic estimates the infections carry a global healthcare cost of more than $6 billion a year, a figure it projects could exceed $15 billion by 2035.

“FDA IDE approval marks a pivotal milestone for Solenic Medical and validates years of scientific and clinical development,” CEO Bart Bandy said in a statement. SOLA-2 remains investigational and has not been cleared by the FDA for commercial use.

Beyond Solenic Medical, other organizations with notable patents granted the week of July 7 include:

Microplastics Index LLC (Dallas), with a method (No. 12674786-B1) for quantifying a person’s microplastic exposure from a blood sample using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The patent issued in 165 days, one of the fastest turnarounds of those granted that week.

Hunt Energy Network LLC (Dallas), with an AI-driven system (No. 12676489-B1) that predicts energy generation and load needs from market data and issues optimized operating instructions across a network of power resources.

RSI North America Inc. (Fort Worth), with an automotive canopy door design (No. 12673539-B2) featuring a removable panel. Inventor Marius Dreyer is based in Fort Worth.

BMIC LLC (Dallas), which had three roofing patents this week, including a roofing shingle (No. 12674322-B1) and an adjustable roof vent assembly (No. 12674325-B1).

Inertech IP LLC (Plano), with an air curtain containment system (No. 12674594-B2) that separates hot and cool air over data center server cabinets to improve cooling efficiency.

Patent information is provided by Joe Chiarella, founder of patent analytics company Patent Index and publisher of The Inventiveness Index. For additional details on the patents granted below, search the USPTO Patent Full-Text and Image Database.

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