Cayuga Biotech: PolyP-SNP Data Shows Potential to Tackle Leading Causes of Death from Battlefield Hemorrhage

Cayuga Biotech, a company specializing in developing drugs that utilize the body’s natural healing and bleeding control mechanisms, has unveiled significant preclinical data for its innovative polyphosphate (polyP)-based therapy. This first-generation, first-in-class therapy aims to treat life-threatening hemorrhages. The research findings highlight the efficacy of the polyP-SNP (silica nanoparticle) complex in overcoming critical conditions often linked with poor survival rates after hemorrhagic injuries, collectively known as the “lethal triad”—hemodilution, acidemia, and hypothermia. The comprehensive data were showcased during a poster presentation at the Military Health System Research Symposium held in Kissimmee, Florida.

Dr. Charles Pollack, an emergency medicine physician at the University of Mississippi and former Regimental Surgeon for the 4th Marines, US Navy Medical Corps, emphasized the significance of these findings. He pointed out that bleeding remains the predominant cause of preventable deaths following traumatic injuries, especially on the battlefield where non-compressible hemorrhage from penetrating injuries is particularly challenging to manage. The novel polyP-SNP complex demonstrated its capacity to address some of the most daunting clinical conditions by restoring the body’s clotting ability.

During the session titled "Technologies for the Treatment of Battlefield Hemorrhage and Management of Vascular Dysfunction," the data presented indicated that the polyP-SNP complex could normalize thrombin generation and clot formation under extreme hemodiluted conditions, where normal plasma typically fails. Furthermore, the therapy showed enhanced coagulation in severe acidotic and hypothermic states. As an injectable drug inert to healthy tissue, the polyP-SNP complex travels through the bloodstream to the bleeding site, accelerating clot formation without causing excessive clotting—a limitation that has hindered the development of other injectable hemorrhage treatments.

The session also featured a detailed poster titled “A synthetic short-chain polyphosphate (polyP) complexed with silica nanoparticle (SNP), corrects coagulopathy under hemodilute, hypothermic, or acidotic conditions.”

Hemorrhage remains a significant global health issue, claiming nearly 2 million lives annually, most of which are preventable. The primary causes of preventable hemorrhage-related deaths are non-compressible hemorrhage sites, such as internal bleeding and penetrating injuries, and delays in achieving hemostatic control. Current care models often fall short in effectively addressing these challenges, leading to patient fatalities due to the complexity and time-consuming nature of clinical interventions for non-compressible hemorrhages.

Cayuga Biotech, Inc. continues to push the boundaries in biomedical research with its development of unique biomimetic therapies that leverage inorganic polyphosphate, a polymer that plays a crucial role in modulating the body’s healing response. The company’s advanced polyP-SNP complex is in the latter stages of preclinical development, specifically targeting acute major hemorrhage. Cayuga is also exploring a novel composition for treating inherited bleeding disorders and is engaged in early-stage research programs aimed at various aspects of the healing process.

With these promising developments, Cayuga Biotech is poised to make significant contributions to the field of hemorrhage treatment, potentially saving numerous lives by addressing a critical gap in current medical care.