Paragonix Technologies has won Phase I small business innovation research (SBIR) grant from the the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute for the pre-clinical development of its Paragonix Sherpa cardiac transport system.
Single-use, fully disposable organ preservation Sherpa cardiac transport system eliminates problems associated with maintenance, device transport and contamination and is designed to be used in conjunction with any of the currently available organ preservation solutions.
The projected ischemic time for the heart transplant recipients should not exceed 4 hours limiting the distance available to transport a donor heart, according to The International Society Of Heart and Lung Transplantation guidelines.
The Paragonix Sherpa system combines oxygenated perfusion of organs and safe organ storage for extending and altering the transportation range of ischemic time from current 4 hours to 12 hours.
Massachusetts General Hospital's transplant center director Joren C. Madsen will be a collaborating clinical investigator in the Phase I SBIR grant program.
Paragonix chief operating officer and co-founder Lisa Maier said the milestone for completing the Phase I SBIR addresses the key question of extended donor heart preservation up to 12 hours by the Paragonix Sherpa cardiac transport system.
"Dr. Madsen has extensive experience with animal transplant models and, together with the Paragonix Clinical Advisory Board, will be involved in the design of all experimental protocols and interpretation of the results," Maier added.
The company said successful completion of the Phase I SBIR grant, which is for a six month time period from July to December 2012, will enable a SBIR Phase II application for up to $1,000,000.