Study suggests effectiveness of Synthetic Blood product

The experiment was carried out in a fluid percussion injury model, a widely accepted rat model that simulates moderate head injury with prolonged cognitive deficits sustained in humans.

Cognitive recovery was determined by performance in a standard water maze test. Synthetic Blood plans to initiate a phase II proof-of-concept study to evaluate the safety and biological effects of Oxycyte in patients with traumatic brain injury.

In the study rats administered Oxycyte at 4.5ml/kg and 9.0ml/kg dose levels showed significantly better performance in the water maze test and had fewer dying neurons in the brain than control animals treated with a saline solution.

Additionally, the group receiving Oxycyte at the higher dose maintained mean arterial blood pressure at a relatively higher level, which could indicate a further improvement in the cerebral blood flow after traumatic brain injury.

“Results of this study support our efforts to proceed with clinical development of Oyxcyte for this indication,” said Robert Nicora, Synthetic Blood president and CEO. “Oxycyte has already proven safe in human clinical trials and, as a PFC emulsion with an extremely small average droplet size, it may be able to oxygenate tissues with narrow or occluded capillaries, such as those that occur in brain injury.”