Chronic ulcers are debilitating wounds that can require many months of treatment. Their prevalence is growing, particularly in developed countries, due to the rise of diabetes and an increasingly aged population. Each year approximately 2 million Americans will suffer from chronic wounds caused by diabetes, circulatory problems and other conditions. There is also a very large market for advanced wound care in the EU.

The most commonly affected areas are the legs and feet due to vascular problems, with a significant impact on patient mobility. This leads to a high cost of care as severe cases are bed-ridden (estimated £600mm annual overall cost to NHS) supporting a $4bn worldwide market in advanced-wound-care products. The key indicators of treatment efficacy are wound size, shape, colour and thermal properties. Typical treatment options are compression bandage therapy, vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy, and surgical intervention - diabetes related wounds are the leading cause for amputation in adults.