Gentell pushes Manuka honey wound care in US market

Gentell is expanding Manuka honey wound care products in the U.S. after buying New Zealand’s ManukaMed and rebranding it. The company is leaning on clinical research, Medicare reimbursement and a set of claimed healing advantages to position the product as a faster, lower-cost option for difficult wounds. Why it matters: - Manuka honey is being positioned as a premium wound care option for chronic and hard-to-heal wounds. - Gentell says broader use could reduce healing time, lower infection risk and cut staff and material costs. - Gentell Manuka Honey is the only Manuka honey wound care product in the U.S. approved by Medicare for reimbursement as a wound care treatment. What happened: - Gentell said it bought New Zealand’s ManukaMed and rebranded the line as Gentell Manuka Honey. - The Yardley, Pennsylvania-based company wants to expand availability of Manuka honey wound care products across the U.S. healthcare market. - Manuka honey wound care products are sold in infused bandages, topical cream and other forms. - The release was issued June 18, 2026. The details: - Manuka honey comes from New Zealand, where bees collect nectar from the Manuka bush, or Leptospermum scoparium. - The product is described as different from other honeys because it contains hydrogen-peroxide-producing enzymes plus non-peroxide antibacterial components, including methylglyoxal, or MGO. - The release says those properties more than double its effectiveness as a wound care treatment and help with wounds that resist traditional methods. - Dr. Peter Molan’s research is cited as the scientific foundation for Manuka honey wound care. - Molan reported results across 17 randomized controlled trials involving 1,965 patients. - His body of research also includes five clinical trials, 10 multiple case studies, 35 single case studies and 16 animal trials. - Gentell says patients with unusual, slow-healing or chronic wounds are responding positively to its Manuka honey products. - Navazio said limited supply and strict quality certification have increased demand for Manuka honey as a wound care product. - Gentell says its Manuka honey is tested and certified by an accredited laboratory under the ISO 17025:2005 standard. - Gentell says the product is the only wound care treatment authorized for reimbursement by Medicare. Between the lines: - The pitch is as much about market access as medical claims. - Medicare reimbursement can make a wound care product easier for facilities to adopt, especially if it is framed as a way to save labor and supplies over time. - The company is using clinical history, certification and reimbursement status to differentiate the product from silver dressings and other alternatives. - The release argues that silver can impair healing by harming keratinocytes and fibroblasts, while Manuka honey does not. - The company’s broader strategy appears to be turning a niche natural product into a standardized, reimbursable hospital and long-term care treatment. - Stephen Bergquist, MD, CWSP, said his patients see decreased biofilm, less pain, shorter healing times and fewer infections with Manuka honey. What’s next: - Gentell plans to keep expanding Manuka honey wound care products across the U.S. healthcare industry. - The company is likely to keep using certification, Medicare status and clinical evidence to support adoption by nursing homes, home care, hospices and other care settings. - Gentell says the products may cost more upfront than traditional wound care, but faster healing can offset that through lower labor and material use. The bottom line: - Gentell is betting that Manuka honey’s clinical record and reimbursement status can move it from a specialty product to a mainstream wound care option.