Medical Design Briefs - November 2023 - 23

CREATE THE FUTURE DESIGN CONTEST
compatible with other treatment options (such as stem cells,
neuroprotective and bioactive growth factors, epidural stimulation,
and MRI). No other approach like this exists.
Methods. NeuroPair's FibermagTM
treatment is applied after
the initial, standard stabilization of SCI: The surgeon injects the
sterile formulation into the injury site and places a magnetic
mouse directly on top of the injury site. The magnetic field assembles
the particles into a nontoxic and biodegradable scaffold
(see Figures 1a and 1b). After five minutes, the field is removed,
the scaffold is in place and remains stable yet flexible for weeks.
The guided regrowth of axons and neurites along the magnetic
fibers can be seen in vitro by brightfield and fluorescence microscopy
over the course of several days and weeks. The Fibermag
formulation consists of commercially available core components:
biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles and slow-release
bioactive factors in a hyaluronic acid-based gel.
Market. Many SCI patients are lifelong recipients of Medicare
and Medicaid support, leading to U.S. social costs exceeding
$51 billion each year. By restoring patients' quality of life
and functionality, these products can potentially reduce U.S.
healthcare costs by 3 percent.
NeuroPair's products could be easily integrated into treatment
by neurosurgeons who presently treat SCI. The key elements
of the technology that neurosurgeons find attractive are:
1) provides an injectable scaffold, 2) conforms to the irregular
shape of an injury, 3) suppresses scar formation, 4) provides a
favorable environment for regrowth, and - most importantly
- 5) is fast and minimally invasive (no surgical resection of the
cord is needed).
For more information, visit www.neuropairbiomed.com. A
video of the technology is available at https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=Pdw03XJcgWA&t=7s.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
FluShield
Antiviral Chicken Feed
Additive
Haichuan Yang
Cubist Systematic Strategies, Long Island City, NY
A
vian influenza is a growing global problem. It seriously threatens
the livelihood of poultry growers by killing domestic poultry
such as chickens, ducks, and turkeys, etc. In the current avian
influenza outbreak in the United States alone, over 58 million domestically
raised chickens have been killed. Vaccines are banned in
the United States and discouraged in global poultry trade by many
countries due to unknown residue viruses in vaccinated birds.
In response to the situation, Cubist Systematic Strategies is developing
a novel antiviral poultry feed additive, FluShield. The
key component in the formulation is FRIL - an antiviral protein
naturally present in L. purpureus (lablab bean). FluShield is both
effective and safe: data has shown that using lablab bean extract,
which contains FRIL, could neutralize high pathogenic avian
strains H5N1 and H7N9 up to 100 percent and 96 percent, respectively;
and since FRIL is a natural protein, the cost of sourcing
raw materials and manufacturing FluShield is low.
A Salivary Test for Brain
Health
Damir Janigro
Robert Schmidt
Flocel Inc., Cleveland, OH
N
eurodegenerative diseases require imaging and repeated testing,
even though body fluid biomarkers are on the horizon.
These are likely based on blood tests, which are impractical, somewhat
invasive, and require medical personnel and equipment.
The goal of this project is to develop devices for rapid
point-of-care measurement in the salivary fluid of the brain-deMedical
Design Briefs, November 2023
Non-infectious stool; limit
further transmission
FRIL delivered to small
intestine and traps virus
The key component in the FluShield formulation is FRIL - an antiviral protein naturally
present in L. purpureus (lablab bean).
FluShield's patent-pending formulation preserves the natural
form of FRIL proteins and slows down the degradation and removal
of FRIL in avian digestive systems.
For more information, visit https://point72.com/cubist. A
video of the technology is available at https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=W481QtdEOjw.
The goal of the project is to develop devices for rapid point-of-care measurement in
the salivary fluid of the brain-derived protein analytes.
www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
23
http://contest.techbriefs.com/ http://www.neuropairbiomed.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdw03XJcgWA&t=7s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdw03XJcgWA&t=7s https://point72.com/cubist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W481QtdEOjw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W481QtdEOjw http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
Medical Design Briefs - November 2023

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