The data showed that the Nell1 protein significantly protects cells exposed to low-oxygen conditions and prevents them from dying, she said.

NellOne CEO Tracy Warren said that the results are important milestones on NellOne ™s path to create and commercialize protein therapeutics that can be delivered to damaged tissue with the unique potential to restore both tissue mass AND function in patients recovering from heart attacks.

The studies are early positive indications that the Nell1 protein may be an effective therapy for restoration of functioning tissue, both in healing injured skeletal muscle after trauma or immobility, or following a heart attack. Annually, more than 1.2 million Americans suffer new or recurrent coronary attacks, with a greater-than-30-percent mortality rate, she noted.

Warren, who also is a general partner of Battelle Ventures, which financially made possible the spinout from ORNL to commercialize the technology, added, Following further proof-of-concept studies this year, we hope to be ready to commence preclinical testing and toxicology studies for both protein treatments derived from the Nell1 platform.

Source NellOne