SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE

XLerateHealth and the Southeast XLerator Network Announce National Institutes of Health Funding for Seven Novel Healthcare Research Projects

May 13, 2020 | 
3 min read

XLerateHealth (XLH), its affiliate, the Southeast XLerator Network (XLN), and XLN Academic Lead, the University of Kentucky, are pleased to announce that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has approved XLN’s External Advisory Committee’s (EAC) recommendation to fund the continued development of seven biomedical innovations that represent various areas of technology, from medical devices to diagnostics and therapeutics.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- XLerateHealth (XLH), its affiliate, the Southeast XLerator Network (XLN), and XLN Academic Lead, the University of Kentucky, are pleased to announce that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has approved XLN’s External Advisory Committee’s (EAC) recommendation to fund the continued development of seven biomedical innovations that represent various areas of technology, from medical devices to diagnostics and therapeutics. The funding is part of the XLerator Network’s “Ideas to Products” (I2P) program that supports researchers with competitive proof-of-concept (POC) funding that will help accelerate healthcare technologies for commercialization across the Southeast IDeA States.

I2P was developed to connect healthcare researchers with funds to support pilot projects that help assess the commercialization potential of their innovations coming from the laboratory. I2P is not a traditional academic grant program; it is milestones-based and product-focused with checkpoints on research along the way.

XLN’s EAC members performed a rigorous review of 55 proposals, scoring them based on criteria including description of unmet need, market size, competitive landscape, IP status, regulatory and reimbursement considerations, development milestones, and personnel. The best-scored applications were selected for funding recommendations, with a total amount of $200,000 available for this round of funding.

“Our EAC members were delighted to see the high quality of the proposals we were asked to review, and wished there were more funds to provide them, as we had to pick the very best from those that made it to the final group,” says Dr. David McLoughlin, Vice President of Adaptive Biotechnologies and XLN EAC Chair.

The winning proposals include:

  • “R-FIX (Rib-FIXation System) for severe progressive spinal deformity” by Dr. Yao from Clemson University (South Carolina)
  • “Development of an immune-based non-invasive diagnostic assay for endometriosis” by Dr. Flores from Ponce Health Sciences University (Puerto Rico)
  • “Multifunctional Chitosan-Genipin Hydrogel Biomaterials for Wound Healing Applications” by Dr. Caldorera-Moore from Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana)
  • “Temporally-controlled site-specific delivery of endocrine FGF1 to prevent heart failure” by Dr. Sakon from University of Arkansas (Arkansas)
  • “Non-invasive assessment of coronary stenosis in real-time” by Dr. Berson from University of Louisville (Kentucky)
  • “Hemocompatible antimicrobial peptides for drug-resistant bacteria” by Dr. Wimley from Tulane University (Louisiana)
  • “Development of multi-gene assays for diagnostics and prognostics of breast, ovarian and lung cancer utilizing FFPE patient samples” by Dr. Guo from WVU (West Virginia)

I2P is funded through an NIH Administrative Supplement that has been provided to augment the original grant to create the XLerator Network, one of four Institutional Development Award (IDeA) State region “hubs” supported by the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. The STTR program funds research and development partnerships between small businesses and academic institutions. This grant is managed by the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and is expected to total more than $3.7M for XLH and the project’s 24 partnered academic institutions through 2021.

About the XLerator Network:

Founded in 2018, the XLerator Network (XLN) is a partnership between XLerateHealth, a healthcare startup accelerator based out of Louisville, KY, and 24 Academic Institutions with the University of Kentucky serving as academic lead. XLN was created to support the commercialization of promising life science and healthcare innovation in the Southeast Institutional Development Award (IDeA) states, including Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, West Virginia and Puerto Rico. The IDeA program’s goal is to broaden the geographic distribution of NIH funding to help accelerate early-stage biomedical technology.

Contacts

Kallie Knop
kallie@letsthinkstrategy.com
704-617-0582

Source: XLerateHealth