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2312694

Project Grant

Overview

Grant Description
Sttr Phase I: Non-Invasive Focused Ultrasound Treatment to Modulate the Immune System for Acute and Chronic Kidney Rejection -The broader impact/commercial potential of this small business technology transfer (STTR) Phase I project is a novel medical device therapy for improving the clinical outcomes of patients receiving organ transplants.

Over 100,000 kidney transplant procedures are performed worldwide each year, with up to 20% of patients experiencing rejection. Existing drug treatments, including immunosuppressants, often entail significant side effects with a high financial cost of nearly $30,000 per year per patient.

This project aims to develop an external system for reducing inflammatory responses thereby reducing adverse events associated with the transplant and extending the lifetime of the new organ.

Beyond kidney organ transplantation, the technology provides potential extensibility for other organ transplants as well as addressing various chronic inflammatory diseases. This small business technology transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to develop a novel ultrasound-based medical device therapy for reducing post-transplant organ rejection.

The external system stimulates targeted nerves in the spleen to modulate the immune system through established physiologic pathways. The proposal aims to optimize various ultrasonic parameters in a transplant model to further development towards a functional prototype.

The key objectives include 1) developing a pre-clinical transducer delivering the desired therapeutic ultrasonic waveform to the targeted splenic nerves, 2) optimizing the treatment parameters using an accepted preclinical skin allograft model, and 3) validating the reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines in situ in accepted preclinical models.

The results of this proposal will demonstrate the safety and feasibility of this technological approach toward eventual clinical patient translation. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

- Subawards are planned for this award.
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "NSF SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR)/ SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAMS PHASE I", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF23515
Place of Performance
Boston, Massachusetts 02115-1616 United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 08/31/24 to 06/30/25.
Inia Biosciences was awarded Project Grant 2312694 worth $275,000 from in March 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Boston Massachusetts United States. The grant has a duration of 1 year 3 months and was awarded through assistance program 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships. The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Programs.

SBIR Details

Research Type
STTR Phase I
Title
STTR Phase I: Non-invasive focused ultrasound treatment to modulate the immune system for acute and chronic kidney rejection
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is a novel medical device therapy for improving the clinical outcomes of patients receiving organ transplants. Over 100,000 kidney transplant procedures are performed worldwide each year, with up to 20% of patients experiencing rejection. Existing drug treatments, including immunosuppressants, often entail significant side effects with a high financial cost of nearly $30,000 per year per patient. This project aims to develop an external system for reducing inflammatory responses thereby reducing adverse events associated with the transplant and extending the lifetime of the new organ. Beyond kidney organ transplantation, the technology provides potential extensibility for other organ transplants as well as addressing various chronic inflammatory diseases. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to develop a novel ultrasound-based medical device therapy for reducing post-transplant organ rejection. The external system stimulates targeted nerves in the spleen to modulate the immune system through established physiologic pathways. The proposal aims to optimize various ultrasonic parameters in a transplant model to further development towards a functional prototype. The key objectives include 1) developing a pre-clinical transducer delivering the desired therapeutic ultrasonic waveform to the targeted splenic nerves, 2) optimizing the treatment parameters using an accepted preclinical skin allograft model, and 3) validating the reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines in situ in accepted preclinical models. The results of this proposal will demonstrate the safety and feasibility of this technological approach toward eventual clinical patient translation. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Topic Code
MD
Solicitation Number
NSF 23-515

Status
(Complete)

Last Modified 3/5/25

Period of Performance
3/15/24
Start Date
6/30/25
End Date
100% Complete

Funding Split
$275.0K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$275.0K
Total Obligated
100.0% Federal Funding
0.0% Non-Federal Funding

Activity Timeline

Interactive chart of timeline of amendments to 2312694

Transaction History

Modifications to 2312694

Additional Detail

Award ID FAIN
2312694
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Funding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Awardee UEI
HLS1PGEJUNW8
Awardee CAGE
None
Performance District
MA-07
Senators
Edward Markey
Elizabeth Warren
Modified: 3/5/25