VIPC Awards Technology Commercialization Grant to UVA Health for Novel Antibody Capable of Detecting Sepsis and Mitigating Septic Shock

Humanized monoclonal antibodies developed by Dr. Jianjie Ma address sepsis-induced acute lung injury, a life-threatening concern with limited treatment options.

RICHMOND, VA, UNITED STATES, January 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) today announced that UVA Health has been awarded a Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) grant for $100,000 to expand research conducted by Dr. Jianjie Ma. Ma’s innovative work focuses on sepsis, the number one cause of death in hospitals and a condition costing these institutions more than $53 billion each year.

Sepsis is a life-threatening complication occurring when the body’s immune response to infection causes damage to its own tissues. Mortality rates from sepsis range from 25-70%, and the risk of death increases by 4-9% for every hour that treatment is delayed. Within the Ma Lab at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Ma and his team are developing a groundbreaking humanized monoclonal antibody for early detection of sepsis and effective mitigation of septic shock. This antibody has exceptional binding capacity, allowing it to surpass commercially available antibodies and, ultimately, improving sepsis survival according to preliminary in vivo studies in animal models. The initial focus is on sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI), a condition affecting 25-50% of sepsis patients, and with a mortality rate of 40%.

“CCF funding will bring us closer to translating this innovative discovery into potential human applications, and we could not be more grateful to VIPC for seeing and believing in its promise”, said Ma, Professor of Surgery and Director of the Division of Surgical Sciences at UVA School of Medicine.

Joe Benevento, VIPC President and CEO, said, “Virginia’s premier research universities and health institutions are developing exciting R&D breakthroughs that have the potential to save lives. VIPC is delighted to help accelerate critical technology commercialization in partnership with UVA and Dr. Ma’s new biotech startup company, HTIC Inc.”

Ma and his collaborator, Dr. Yongqing Li at the University of Michigan, have spent a decade researching an improved sepsis treatment, which has now culminated in a lead therapeutic compound that, combined with a diagnostic window of treatment, offers a strong market opportunity. CCF funding will support Ma’s preparations for IND-enabling studies and future FDA approval.

About UVA Health
UVA Health is an academic health system that recently expanded to include four hospitals across Charlottesville, Culpeper, and Northern Virginia, along with the UVA School of Medicine, UVA School of Nursing, UVA Physicians Group, and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library. With more than 1,000 inpatient beds, approximately 40,000 inpatient stays annually, and more than 1 million outpatient encounters annually at UVA Health, more than 1,000 employed and independent physicians provide high-quality, comprehensive, and specialized care to patients across the Commonwealth and beyond. Founded in 1819 as just the 10th medical school in America, the UVA School of Medicine – with 20 clinical departments, eight basic science departments, and six research centers – consistently attracts some of the nation’s most prominent researchers to develop breakthrough treatments to benefit patients around the world. Those research efforts are backed by more than $200 million in grant funding. UVA Health Children's is recognized as the No. 1 hospital in Virginia for children by U.S. News & World Report, with nine specialties rated among the top in America. More than 230 UVA physicians are honored on the Best Doctors in America list. For more information, resources, and to follow us on social media, please visit www.uvahealth.com.

About Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)
Connecting innovators with opportunities. VIPC operates as the nonprofit corporation on behalf of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA). VIPA / VIPC is Virginia’s designated authority for leading innovation and economic development in the Commonwealth of Virginia through research, commercialization, and technology advancement; entrepreneurship, startup, and venture capital growth; and regional ecosystem, innovation network, and industry sector expansion. As part of its operations, VIPC helps attract and catalyze private investment into early-stage startup companies, provides research and technology commercialization grants to universities and entrepreneurs, and offers resource and funding support for entrepreneurial ecosystems, innovation networks, and public-private partnerships at local, state, federal levels.

VIPC’s programs include: Virginia Invests | Virginia Venture Partners (VVP) | Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) | Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Development | Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) | Smart Communities | The Virginia Smart Community Testbed | The Virginia Unmanned Systems Center | Virginia Advanced Air Mobility Alliance (VAAMA) | The Public Safety Innovation Center (PSIC) | Federal Funding Assistance Program (FFAP) for SBIR & STTR | University Partnerships | Startup Company Mentoring & Engagement.

For more information, please visit www.VIPC.org. Explore the latest news from VIPC and images from VIPC-supported stakeholder events. Follow VIPC on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

About the Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF)
VIPC’s Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) accepts applications and awards funding to university research partners and entrepreneurial startups at the earliest stages of technology commercialization along the innovation continuum. These commercialization grants support R&D and early technology and market validation efforts such as the development of prototypes or minimum viable products (MVPs), customer pilots, and intellectual property protection. For more information on CCF funding opportunities and eligibility requirements, or to apply, visit www.VIPC.org.

Jennifer Hiltwine
VIPC
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