🎉 Big news from Xheme Inc: We’ve just secured our fourth federal award—a $1.2M NSF-STTR Phase II grant—to scale up our non-toxic blood bag technology in collaboration with Vitalant Research Institute (VRI).
This milestone builds on our previous NSF and NASA awards and marks a major leap toward safer, smarter blood & vital fluid storage and high-performance bioprocessing.
Our composite polymer bags are designed to eliminate harmful plasticizers like DEHP, a known carcinogen found in conventional PVC blood bags.
💡 Why it matters:
🚫 100% non-toxic, FDA-approved polymer—no phthalates, no chlorinated compounds
🩸 Our bags meet FDA and EU regulatory criteria for hemolysis
🔬 Improved metabolic activity and shelf-life for stored blood
🌍 Potential to replace outdated tech and meet global regulatory shifts (EU DEHP ban delayed to 2030 due to lack of alternatives)
Led by Dr. Kumar Challa (PI) and Prof. Tamir Kanias (Co-PI), this STTR Phase II project merges polymer science, blood biology, and scalable manufacturing to deliver a next-gen solution for transfusion medicine.
We’re proud to be driving innovation that protects patients, supports clinicians, and aligns with global health and sustainability goals. Kudos to the Xheme’s team: Venu Nambula (COO), Dr. Julia Rashba-Step (VP, Partnerships), Dr. Ashlee Conway (VP, Bioprocessing) and Richard Melanson (VP, Business Development).
#NSF #STTR #BiomedicalInnovation #AdvancedMaterials #BloodStorage #Sustainability #XhemeInc #VitalantResearch #DEHPFree #MedicalDevices #TransfusionSafety
