Description:
Overview
Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) may cause partial to complete loss of sensory and motor function, leading to loss of independence, chronic pain, and a significant decline in quality of life. We have developed a biomimetic regenerative nerve scaffold with chemotactic properties, improving cell migration, axonal outgrowth, and overall improvement in functional outcome.
Market Opportunity
PNI has been researched and has been estimated to increase by 3-5% in the last decade, with some regions reaching up to a 10% increase. Market data has stated $6.2 billion worldwide with future compound annual growth rate of 9-10% through 2027. Trauma is the leading cause for approximately 60-70% of cases. In the preclinical phase, our scaffold has significant and successful outcomes in both cellular regeneration and gait function in a murine model compared to currently used conduits in the clinical setting.
Innovation and Meaningful Advantages
Work performed in our lab found that a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold containing lysine-modified chitosan (K-chitosan) decorated with a nerve extracellular matrix protein, Matrilin-2 (MATN2), enhances Schwann cell (SC) migration, axonal outgrowth, and severed nerve recovery in a preclinical murine model. MATN2 is a protein shown to be chemotactic for SCs and our use of K-chitosan in a porous inner-channel scaffold structure allows and aids the binding of MATN2, increases healing of the nerve, improving gait performance and creating a swift, functional recovery in a pre-clinical peripheral nerve injury animal model.
Collaboration Opportunity
We are interested in exploring 1) startup opportunities with investors; 2) collaborations with leading medical research companies; and 3) licensing opportunities with companies.
Principal Investigator
Qian Chen Ph.D
Professor of Orthopaedic Research and Medical Science
Director, NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Skeletal Health and Repair
Vice Chairman for Research, Department of Orthopaedics
IP Information
PCT/US2023/086556 Filed 12/30/2023