NanoGroup S.A. has filed two more patent applications to the European Patent Office, via the Polish Patent Office, for patent protection for the innovative NanOX perfusion fluid and an innovative fluid for use as a blood substitute. In October, the company filed a patent application for the NanOX Recovery Box device.
The first patent application entitled: “Perfusion fluid, methods of producing perfusion fluid, and uses thereof” concerns the composition, method of producing and use of perfusion fluid, in particular for the perfusion of organs, i.e. the kidney, liver and heart.
NanOX fluid, developed and developed by NanoGroup, enables gas exchange thanks to the use of nanotechnology, supplying cells with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from them. This innovation plays a key role in the perfusion process of organs intended for transplantation, enabling their oxygenation, nutrition and maintaining metabolism. As a result, organs not only remain viable and suitable for transplantation for longer, but can also regenerate and even be treated before transplantation in the future.
This is particularly important in the context of the problem of the insufficient number of organs for transplantation, as it increases the pool of potential donors by:
- donors after irreversible circulatory arrest, i.e. DCD donors (Donation after circulatory death),
- donors qualified as ECD (Expanded criteria donors), i.e. people aged 60 and over and in the age group 50-59 years who had at least two of the following risk factors: arterial hypertension, death caused by stroke, blood creatinine level at the time of death above 1.5 mg/dl.
A significant advantage of NanOX is its composition – free from blood-derived components, except for human albumin. What is more, NanoGroup researchers are already working on the complete elimination of blood-derived components. This reduces the risk associated with their use and eliminates the problem of blood deficiency.
NanOX fluid is fully compatible with both the proprietary NanOX Recovery Box and, in the plans, with other perfusion devices, which allows it to be used as an independent solution. NanOx fluid enables perfusion of organs intended for transplantation not only in hypothermia (4–12°C), but also in subnormothermia and normothermia, i.e. at temperatures close to or equal to the temperature of the human body.
The second application, entitled: “Fluid, methods of producing the fluid and its use”, concerns a fluid in the form of an oil-in-water PFC nanoemulsion, methods of producing this fluid and its use as a blood substitute.
The blood shortage is a global crisis that also affects Poland. In the United States alone, the number of blood donors fell by a third in 2021, reaching the lowest level in over a decade. Similarly alarming data is coming from Europe – in Sweden, Germany, Spain and France, blood reserves are at an exceptionally low level. What is worse, the end of the pandemic has not reversed this disturbing trend, and the problem remains unresolved. [Source: bankier.pl]
Blood substitute is an acellular fluid containing synthetic oxygen carriers based on PFC (perfluorocarbon) nanoemulsion, thanks to which it provides the recipient’s body with appropriate oxygenation and necessary nutrients within the declared time. In this respect, it has an effect similar to human blood. Thanks to the PFC content, it also has a significant advantage over products based on blood morphological elements, as it allows to avoid phenomena such as the release of cytokines and vasoconstrictor substances from them. PFC nanoparticles are stabilized by the addition of biocompatible surfactants. The continuous phase of the emulsion is a buffering solution that provides physiological (the same for human blood) pH, osmotic and oncotic pressure. In addition, it contains a source of energy for cells, compounds enabling the regeneration of high-energy phosphate compounds – ATP, substances reducing/neutralizing the formation of free radicals and peroxides and preventing intracellular acidosis.
The manufacturing method according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a fluid characterized by the size of PFC nanoparticles in the range of 100-200 nm.
NanoGroup is waiting for patents
The purpose of a company applying for a patent for its inventions is to protect them from unauthorized use by competitors. At the same time, obtaining a patent is a guarantee that the company will have the exclusive right to commercial use of its solution, which means that other entities cannot produce, use or sell it without the consent of the patent owner. Importantly, obtaining a patent not only protects the product, but also increases its market value, and provides creators with a competitive advantage.
What does the patent procedure look like in Poland?
The procedure begins with filing a patent application, which includes a detailed description of the invention, its operation, and the scope of protection the company wants to obtain. The description of the invention should also include what distinguishes it from existing solutions and what its application is.
The Patent Office conducts an initial verification of the documents and assigns an application number. Then, after about 18 months, the application is published, which allows interested parties to file any objections.
The most important stage of the procedure that decides whether to grant a patent is the assessment of whether the invention is new, has an inventive step (i.e. whether it does not result clearly from existing solutions) and whether it is suitable for industrial application. If the invention meets all these requirements, the Patent Office issues a decision to grant the patent. The decision is published and the patent becomes legally binding, which means that the company obtains full rights to the invention for a specified period, usually 20 years from the date of filing.
With patent protection, NanoGroup secures its investment in the development of NanOX fluid and increases the potential of its product on both the domestic and international markets.
