Oxford: Preventing vasospasm during heart bypass

Licensing opportunity

Isis Innovation, Oxford University’s technology transfer company, is looking for support to develop a new agent that prevents vascular spasm during heart bypass surgery, a complication that can cause heart attacks or even death.

Around 500 000 heart bypass operations take place in the world each year. Of these, around 15 per cent fail within the first 24 hours after surgery because the grafted vessel undergoes vasospasm. This leads to occlusion of the vessel and the need for further drug therapy, angioplasty, and/or surgery.

Currently available agents offer a broad spectrum of anti-vasospastic activity but tend to have a brief duration of action in vivo. The Oxford invention combines a broad spectrum of anti-vasospastic activity and a prolonged duration of action.

Currently the subject of a patent application, the product can be made as a sterile, convenient kit for use during surgery. It is potentially a high-margin item, as the agent is inexpensive. Isis invites contact from companies interested in developing the product further.