Northwell Health, Feinstein Institute executives chosen to advise Sanguistat
Health care leaders to support emerging medical device company in developing solutions to control acute and chronic bleeding
Jun 29, 2018, 12:01 ET
MANHASSET, N.Y., June 29, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research President and CEO Kevin J. Tracey, MD, along with Northwell Health Senior Vice President, Clinical Strategy and Development, and Associate Chief Medical Officer Martin Doerfler, MD, will each play key roles in the emerging Connecticut-based biotech company Sanguistat, Inc. Announced at Sanguistat's first board meeting this month, both Drs. Tracey and Doerfler will support the company's mission to create bioelectronic medicine devices to control bleeding.
Dr. Tracey, one of the inventors of the Neural TourniquetTM, has been named chairman of Sanguistat's Scientific Advisory Board where he will draw on his extensive translational research experience studying inflammation and bioelectronic medicine to help guide the company's scientific goals in identifying therapeutic targets that would benefit from device development.
As a board member, Dr. Doerfler will apply his experience in advancing clinical care to advise Sanguistat.
The technology Sanguistat aims to develop is based on fundamental research conducted at the Feinstein Institute, which found that external stimulation of the vagus nerve can prime platelets to reduce bleeding. The discovery of this technique is known as the "Neural Tourniquet."
"The way medical professionals stop and control bleeding hasn't changed much since the use of the tourniquet in ancient Greece," said Dr. Tracey. "As part of Sanguistat's Scientific Board, I hope to aid their development of a new solution to stop uncontrolled bleeding, which is a leading cause of preventable death among patients."
Studies in healthy volunteers have found no side effects related to the use of the Neural Tourniquet. Sanguistat plans to conduct clinical trials to confirm that the technology reduces bleeding following C-section and in hemophilia. A study is being initiated in which women will have vagus nerve stimulation using the Neural Tourniquet following a C-section to evaluate reduction in blood loss. Sanguistat will also study bleeding in adults and children with hemophilia, a blood disorder affecting approximately 20,000 people in the United States. Sanguistat, the Feinstein Institute and the Global Good Fund are also partnering on clinical trials in to evaluate the efficacy of the Neural Tourniquet to treat postpartum hemorrhage in the developing world.
To support Sanguistat's clinical development plans, Northwell Health's venture arm, Northwell Ventures, has also invested in the company.
"At Northwell Health we are passionate to find breakthroughs that will change and improve the way we deliver care," said Dr. Doerfler. "As a board member of Sanguistat, I'm happy to share that passion to help advance the company and ultimately bring new treatments to patients."
Sanguistat CEO Ronald M. Burch, MD, PhD, praised Dr. Tracey and the Feinstein Institute's Center for Bioelectronic Medicine for their fundamental research enabling the approach Sanguistat will develop for patients around the world. Dr. Burch also acknowledged the significance of Northwell Ventures' support. "Northwell Ventures sees numerous proposals each year and we were pleased to be able to attract their interest along with the active support of Dr. Doerfler as we develop the Feinstein Institute technology," Dr. Burch said.
Sanguistat also named James J. Dolan as an independent director. Three Feinstein Institute staff members will support Sanguistat in senior advisory roles: Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine Chad Bouton; Vice President of Scientific Affairs Christopher J. Czura, PhD; and Assistant Professor Jared M. Huston, MD.
About the Feinstein Institute
The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is the research arm of Northwell Health, the largest healthcare provider in New York. Home to 50 research laboratories and to clinical research throughout dozens of hospitals and outpatient facilities, the Feinstein Institute includes 4,000 researchers and staff who are making breakthroughs in molecular medicine, genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we empower imagination and pioneer discovery, visit FeinsteinInstitute.org.
About Sanguistat, Inc.
Sanguistat is a clinical-stage, private, emerging medical device company developing the Neural Tourniquet – peripheral surface electrode-mediated neurostimulation of the vagus nerve – to reduce bleeding in response to trauma or disease. The Company's approach is expected to potentially deliver valuable products to address areas of high unmet medical needs.
Contact: Heather E. Ball Mayer
516-465-4917
hball@northwell.edu
Jeffrey Rona
303-523-4014
jarona@sanguistat.com
SOURCE The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
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