Funding represents a significant step forward in Annoviant’s mission to transform the landscape of pediatric cardiac care.

Atlanta, April 16, 2024 – Annoviant™, Inc., a pioneering company with a breakthrough TxGuard TM  technology platform for soft-tissue healing, currently focused on cardiovascular field, proudly announces receipt of a $2.99 million grant (SBIR Phase 2b) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant aims to propel the development and commercialization of its revolutionary TxGuard™pulmonary valved conduit. Building upon the Phase II NIH Grant secured in 2021, this funding represents a significant step forward in Annoviant’s mission to transform the landscape of pediatric cardiac care.

Annoviant’s patented TxGuard™stands at the forefront of technological innovation in conduit replacements for treating congenital heart disease (CHD), the most prevalent birth defect globally and a leading cause of birth-related mortality. CHD encompasses a spectrum of abnormalities that disrupt blood flow to and from the heart, affecting approximately 40,000 newborns annually in the US and 1.35 million worldwide. With an estimated 2.9 million CHD patients in the US alone, the need for advanced solutions is paramount.

Addressing critical shortcomings observed in current commercial devices, TxGuard™offers unparalleled clinical advantages, notably its resistance to calcification, thrombosis, infection, and the host cell integration. This cutting-edge technology heralds a new era in pediatric cardiac interventions, providing durable pulmonary valved grafts that adapt and regenerate alongside patients, minimizing the need for multiple re-operations over their lifetimes.

“We are delighted to receive this additional grant from the NIH, accompanied by matching funds from our esteemed investors. This marks a significant milestone for Annoviant as we accelerate our pursuit of impactful innovation to save lives,” said Ajay Houde, Ph.D., MBA, Co-Founder, and CEO of Annoviant.

Pediatric patients with CHD often undergo multiple cardiovascular surgeries throughout their lives, with associated costs totaling billions for the US healthcare industry. TxGuard™offers a transformative solution to this ongoing challenge, promising extended durability and reduced healthcare burden for patients and providers alike.

Dr. Naren Vyavahare, Ph.D., Annoviant’s CTO, and Co-Founder, commented, “Pediatric CHD patients require medical devices that can evolve with them into adulthood. After fifteen years of dedicated research, we have developed TxGuard™technology to address this critical need, resisting thrombosis and calcification while promoting host cell integration and remodeling. With NIH Phase IIb funding, we look forward to further refining pulmonary valved conduits for the benefit of CHD patients.”

About Annoviant

Founded in 2018, Annoviant™is a pioneering healthcare innovation company committed to the development of transformative medical devices aimed at enhancing and saving lives. Driven by the personal experiences of its co-founders, Annoviant is fueled by an unwavering dedication to positively impact the lives and treatment outcomes of congenital heart disease (CHD) patients. At the heart of Annoviant’s mission is TxGuard™, a patented breakthrough innovation designed to heal and adapt alongside patients battling life-threatening congenital heart disease and other soft tissue applications. This portfolio of patented breakthrough devices addresses numerous clinical challenges, offering the potential to significantly reduce healthcare costs by obviating the need for repetitive surgeries. Annoviant actively collaborates with a diverse network, including leading research institutions and industry partners nationwide, to advance its innovative solutions. For further details, please visit  Annoviant.com.

NIH:  Research reported in this news release was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Award Number 2R44HL147771-04. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:

Annoviant Media Relations
pr@annoviant.com

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By Sheran Brown • February 20, 2025
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Council on State Biotechnology Associations says NIH funds are a critical component of innovation ecosystem

By Sheran Brown • February 20, 2025
The Council of State Biotechnology Associations (CSBA) has issued a strong warning about proposed cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, emphasizing the critical role these grants play in America's biotech innovation ecosystem. The statement, below , comes amid concerns over recent guidance that would reduce NIH funding to key research institutions. ----------------------- “Today, the US biotech industry employs nearly 2.3 million people across the US and is making positive contributions to economic impact and national security across all 50 states. In fact, for every dollar the National Institutes of Health (NIH) contributes to a successful drug, the private sector invests over $65, underscoring the agency’s unparalleled return on investment. As the associations representing the bioscience industry across the nation, the Council on State Biotechnology Associations (CSBA) is concerned by recent guidance that would cut funding provided by the NIH to universities, hospitals, and other institutions that perform critical early-stage research. NIH grant funds are a critical component of our innovation ecosystem. Grants for basic research are the spark that leads to university-driven discoveries, with public-private partnerships and tech transfers that bridge early-stage research to industry-sponsored drug development and ultimately to FDA approved medical advances for hundreds of diseases. While the administration looks for greater efficiency in the use of taxpayer dollars, it cannot be overstated - once scientific innovation moves abroad, it may never return. In the race for scientific innovation around the world, as our adversaries continue to increase government investments in research, we encourage President Trump to follow suit and ensure that we maintain our global leadership in an industry that was created and thrives across the US.”
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