Carmell Therapeutics Receives NIH Phase I Grant to develop antimicrobial-eluting bioresorbable bone filler
Pittsburg, PA -- May 19, 2014 --Carmell Therapeutics, a company that is developing novel products manufactured from blood plasma, which naturally accelerate the healing of injured tissues, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant in the amount of $157,000 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The one-year grant will fund research into the use of Carmell’s blood plasma-based materials (PBMs) to deliver antimicrobials to control infection in contaminated wounds. Bacterial infection is a major clinical concern, particularly in bone fractures where such infections can lead to non-unions, additional surgeries, and protracted antibiotic treatments. PBMs are made from freeze-dried (lyophilized) blood plasma and contain a concentration of natural regenerative factors that safely accelerate healing. The addition of antimicrobials to PBMs may result in more controlled delivery of the drug along with regenerative factors that jump-start healing, providing a safer and more cost effective alternative to the current standard of care. Success of this Phase I project may lead to a more extensive Phase II funding application
“We are excited about this Phase I SBIR award from NIH, as it highlights the significance of the technology we are developing due to the rigorous and highly competitive NIH selection process,” stated Alan West, Carmell’s president and chief executive officer. “By using our plasma-based materials to deliver an antimicrobial, we can potentially provide a product with three key clinical benefits: a jump start of healing from natural regenerative factors, a controlled delivery of the antimicrobial drug, and cellular protection from the delivery of high doses of a drug directly to the site of the injury. Additionally, our plasma-based materials appear to recruit the body's own immune system to the injury as the materials degrade, making the body more effective in removing infectious bacteria. The unique ability of our plasma-based materials to safely promote healing has been shown in animal studies and now in a first-in-man study we are in the process of completing.”
About Carmell Therapeutics Corp.: Carmell Therapeutics develops novel products manufactured from blood plasma containing a concentration of natural growth and regenerative factors that accelerate the repair of injured tissues. Representing an exciting new paradigm in tissue repair, these natural wound healing products incorporate platelet and plasma-derived growth factors, and initial testing has shown that the materials encourage the healing of both soft and hard (bone) tissues as well as naturally reducing infections. Carmell is focused on developing products to treat musculoskeletal injuries, offering accelerated healing and better clinical outcomes.
