SelSym Biotech Develops Synthetic Platelets for Trauma Care
SelSym Biotech, a university spinout, is pioneering a synthetic platelet technology designed for rapid use in trauma care. The company's strategy focuses on translating academic research into a commercial product by collaborating with clinical end-users. This approach is presented as a case study for deeptech founders on navigating the path from laboratory research to a marketable medical technology.
- The core technology, named SymClot, consists of ultra-soft hydrogel particles that mimic the function of natural platelets. These particles are equipped with antibodies that bind directly to fibrin, a protein that forms at a wound site, allowing the synthetic platelets to target the injury. - A key advantage of SymClot is its extended shelf life; it has demonstrated stability for six months at room temperature, with a goal of extending that to one year, overcoming a major limitation of donated platelets which typically must be used within five days. - SelSym Biotech was co-founded in 2019 by researchers from North Carolina State University, Georgia Tech, and the University of Virginia, including Dr. Ashley Brown, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at NC State. - The company has been supported by over $700,000 in NIH Phase I STTR grants, which has been crucial for translating the technology from the university lab setting. SelSym is currently seeking to raise a $5 million seed round to be followed by a $20 million Series A to support an Investigational New Drug (IND) submission to the FDA. - Preclinical studies in animal models (mice, rats, and pigs) have shown that the synthetic platelets reduce bleeding time by approximately 65% and effectively stop trauma-induced bleeding without causing off-target clotting. - The global market for hemostatic agents was valued at approximately $8.03 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to over $17 billion by 2033, driven by an increasing number of surgical procedures and trauma cases. - Unlike some competing technologies that aim to replicate multiple functions of platelets, SelSym's approach specifically targets secondary hemostasis, where platelets bind to fibrin to stabilize a clot. The flexible nature of the hydrogel particles also mimics the shape-changing ability of natural platelets, which helps to retract the clot and pull the wound edges together. - The company's leadership team includes CEO Seema Nandi, PhD, and Chief Scientific Officer Kim Nellenbach-Willson, PhD, alongside the academic co-founders.
