Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc. (OBI) has signed a cooperative research and development agreement with the US Navy to conduct preclinical research to investigate the potential use of OBI’s proprietary perfluorocarbon emulsion, Oxycyte, as an intravenously delivered adjunctive treatment for complex infected wounds and related injuries. The primary purpose of the research is to assess the efficacy of Oxycyte for the treatment of infected and/or ischemic wounds. The study protocols and timeline are under development at this time.

“The concept of utilizing our perfluorocarbon emulsion as a way to bolster the delivery of oxygen to wounds from inside the body is new and fascinating. It is a step beyond our initial research effort that focused on the topical delivery of perfluorocarbons for wound healing in the form of a gel. The intravenous delivery of Oxycyte may work in a fashion similar to hyperbaric oxygen therapy by increasing the oxygen transport capacity of plasma and delivering oxygen to the damaged tissue to aid in repair. This is an early stage concept and we are hopeful that the Navy’s research will yield the information necessary to determine if this is a viable wound therapy,” said Michael Jebsen, president and chief financial officer of OBI.

Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc. is developing medical and cosmetic products that efficiently deliver oxygen to tissues in the body. The company has developed a proprietary perfluorocarbon (PFC) therapeutic oxygen carrier called Oxycyte that is currently in clinical and preclinical studies for intravenous delivery for indications such as traumatic brain injury, decompression sickness and stroke.