For Immediate Release:
July 11, 2016
Traverse Biosciences Announces Collaboration with the State University of New York Upstate Medical University on $164,689 Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) Discovery Award from the U.S. Department of Defense
Research to Evaluate TRB-N0224 for the Treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Stony Brook, NY; July 11, 2016: Traverse Biosciences announced today that it will collaborate with the State University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate) on a $164,689 Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) Discovery Award from the U.S. Department of Defense. The research, led by Gary Nieman, Associate Professor and Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Surgery, will evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s lead drug candidate, TRB-N0224, to treat acute lung injury, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
There are currently no FDA-approved pharmaceutical interventions for the treatment of ARDS, a rapidly progressing, life-threatening lung disorder affecting 190,000 patients in the U.S. alone, with a 40% mortality rate leading to 74,000 deaths per year. ARDS can be caused by a number of factors that directly/indirectly lead to lung injury, including pneumonia (40%), aspiration (15%) and major trauma (8%), though sepsis (22%) is the most lethal.
Mr. Joseph Scaduto, Founder and CEO of Traverse Biosciences, stated, “We are very excited to work with internationally-recognized experts in respiratory diseases from SUNY Upstate.” He added, “Their unparalleled expertise in the field of acute lung injury, in combination with this funding from the Department of Defense, will allow Traverse Biosciences to explore a new area of research, and to potentially develop our novel class of drug candidates for human therapeutic indications that address critical unmet medical needs, on and off the battlefield.”
Established in 1999, the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program has supported research across the full range of science and medicine, with an underlying goal of enhancing the health and well-being of military Service members, Veterans, retirees, and their family members.
Mr. Gary Nieman, Associate Professor and Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Surgery at SUNY Upstate, commented, “Our team is excited to evaluate the effectiveness of TRB-N0224 to treat acute lung injury.” He added, “Pilot funding from the U.S. Department of Defense will allow us to further demonstrate the pleiotropic effects of this novel drug candidate, and its ability to alleviate the devastating inflammation and life-threatening lung damage associated with ARDS.”
Dr. Lorne Golub, SUNY Distinguished Professor at Stony Brook University and Co-Investigator of the PRMRP Award, stated, “ARDS is a serious condition that can easily lead to multiple organ failure and death, so we are very hopeful that our lead drug candidate, TRB-N0224, will ultimately have a positive impact on patient outcomes, both military and civilian.”
Dr. Francis Johnson, President, Chem-Master International and Scientific Co-Founder of Traverse Biosciences, stated, ”As a co-inventor of this promising technology, I am very pleased that we are expanding its potential application to respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory distress syndrome.” He added, “I am confident that TRB-N0224 will perform well in these pilot studies, and I look forward to its further development towards human clinical trials.”
Scott Macfarlane, Director of Technology Transfer at SUNY Upstate, said, “Gary Nieman’s research on acute lung injuries has received world-wide recognition, and we are excited that he is now working with world-class scientists at Stony Brook and with Transverse Biosciences to evaluate a promising treatment for ARDS.” He further commented, “Gary is joining the growing ranks of Upstate researchers and clinicians who are collaborating closely with startup companies to develop next generation medical treatments and devices. At SUNY we believe strongly that such academic-industry collaborations are critical to translating our basic research discoveries into products that will benefit society.”
About SUNY Upstate Medical University: Located in Syracuse, NY, SUNY Upstate Medical University is the only academic medical center in Central New York and the region's largest employer, with over 9,000 employees. Affiliated with the State University of New York and anchored by its four colleges—Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions and Graduate Studies (biomedical sciences), Upstate's mission is to improve the health of the community through education, biomedical research and health care. Its biomedical research focuses on the most prevalent human diseases, especially cancer, diabetes, heart disease, nervous system disorders, vision, and infectious diseases, building upon expertise in structural, molecular and systems biology. The Upstate University Health System serves 1.8 million people, often the most seriously ill and injured, at Upstate University Hospital, Upstate University Hospital at Community Campus, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital, and numerous satellite sites across upstate New York. To learn more about Upstate Medical University, visit www.upstate.edu.
About the Research Foundation for SUNY: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York is the largest, most comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country. The RF manages SUNY’s research portfolio providing essential sponsored programs administration and innovation support services to SUNY faculty and students performing research in life sciences and medicine; engineering and nanotechnology; physical sciences and energy; social sciences, and computer and information sciences. The RF moves SUNY ideas and inventions to the marketplace collaborating with business and industry to create new opportunity and new jobs for New York State. To learn more about the RF visit www.rfsuny.org.
About Traverse Biosciences: Traverse Biosciences is a privately-held biopharmaceutical company commercializing a pipeline of novel drug candidates for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases and age-related conditions affecting humans and animals. To learn more about Traverse Biosciences, visit www.traversebiosciences.com.
