BOSTON, Mass., Nov. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vascular Perfusion Solutions (VPS) and Unravel Biosciences, Inc. (“Unravel”) are partnering to develop a proprietary perfusion solution that will enhance organ viability during transport and reduce the risk of acute rejection following transplantation.
The partnership utilizes Unravel’s target and drug discovery platform, BioNAV™, which leverages a gene expression network AI model of human health to advance drugs for complex diseases in a target-agnostic manner, to identify small molecule modulators of endothelial activation. The drug candidates will be evaluated in hearts perfused using the VP.SENCORE® cardiac preservation system due to its adaptability and accessible monitoring capabilities for research.
Acute organ rejection is the leading cause of transplant failure, resulting in a growing interest in improving organ preservation and ex-vivo heart perfusion techniques increasing transport time while reducing the harsh impacts of ischemic injury. Research shows that the activation of endothelial cells lining the organ vasculature have been identified as a leading cause of immune system activation and reduced organ viability as well as post-implant prognosis.
VPS stands as a trailblazer in the field of organ preservation and transplant research, committed to pushing the boundaries of science to enhance transplant patient outcomes. CEO, Dr. Rafael Veraza, says “To expedite groundbreaking research, it is imperative to engage in collaboration with innovative companies like Unravel Biosciences and incorporate their distinctive and one-of-a kind AI platform. This partnership not only amplifies the pace but also significantly accelerates the trajectory of innovative scientific research in cardiac preservation to improve long-term survival of patients receiving a life-saving heart transplant.”
“The exceeding complexity and unmet challenge of organ preservation and transplantation is well-suited to Unravel’starget-agnostic biological network approach,” says Dr. Richard Novak, CEO and co-founder of Unravel Biosciences. “We are enthusiastic to partner with VPS to leverage the VP.SENCORE® Device for target discovery and drug development to revolutionize organ transplantation and improve patient care.”
About Vascular Perfusion Solutions, Inc.
Vascular Perfusion Solutions (VPS) is a startup medical device company that emphasizes data driven innovation to redefine the boundaries of organ preservation technology. VPS believes that machine perfusion devices for preserving organs should be simple, portable, and accessible to all patients needing a lifesaving organ. The VP.S ENCORE®, a cardiac machine perfusion device currently in development, received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in 2021. It aims to extend the viability of organs outside the body beyond the current standard of care with the goal of saving organs and saving lives. The VP.S ENCORE® cardiac device is undergoing preclinical testing for its first indication of use in the U.S., Latin America and Europe.
About Unravel Biosciences
Unravel Biosciences is the first rapid prototyping therapeutics company, using AI biological network analysis together with existing drugs to discover and clinically derisk entirely novel therapeutics and biomarkers with unprecedented efficiency. Unravel leverages its proprietary BioNAV™ platform combining target and drug discovery, preclinical screening and patient stratification to find treatments for complex diseases. Unravel’s platform discovered RVL002, a first-in-class new small molecule targeting mitochondrial metabolism with applications in multiple CNS and metabolic disorders, and RVL027, a molecule targeting a novel mechanism to treat dystonias and neurodegeneration. www.unravel.bio.
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