Northfield Labs gets $3.5 million government funding for emergency blood substitute

By Angela McDaniels

Seattle, Jan. 3 - Northfield Laboratories Inc. said it will receive $3.5 million for the continued development of PolyHeme, the company's human hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier, as part of the Fiscal 2006 Defense Appropriations Bill.

"Northfield is pleased to be included in the federal government's defense appropriation budget once again.," chairman and chief executive officer Steven A. Gould said in a company news release.

"This research has the potential to save lives," senator Richard Durbin of Illinois said in the release.

"First responders will be better able to help injured persons with massive blood loss and surgeons will have another resource in the emergency room. PolyHeme could also help doctors in rural or remote settings where blood supplies for transfusions are limited," he added.

Durbin is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and included the funding in the bill.

Northfield Laboratories is based in Evanston, Ill., and develops PolyHeme, a solution of chemically modified human hemoglobin for the treatment of urgent, large-volume blood loss in trauma and resultant surgical settings. It has a shelf life of over 12 months and is compatible with all blood types, the company said.

© 2015 Prospect News.
All content on this website is protected by copyright law in the U.S. and elsewhere. For the use of the person downloading only.
Redistribution and copying are prohibited by law without written permission in advance from Prospect News.
Redistribution or copying includes e-mailing, printing multiple copies or any other form of reproduction.