Address gaps in ARDS treatment by developing innovative technologies that enable oxygen delivery and gas exchange for severe ARDS patients, prevent secondary lung injury, and do not resort to mechanical ventilation or positive air pressure systems.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients not responding to mechanical ventilation are placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a last resort.
This intervention remains labor-intensive, costly, high risk, and is only available at a few specialized centers. DRIVe envisions improved access to affordable, effective, and safe treatment options like ECMO that can be administered outside of the intensive care unit, for severe ARDS patients.
Healing Lungs seeks to develop next-generation ECMO advances and oxygen delivery vehicles superior to currently available interventions.
Develop novel compounds for oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal from blood
Improve/reengineer ECMO circuit components to lower the likelihood of clot formation
Demonstrate miniaturization of individual ECMO components towards developing a more portable unit
No. Approaches relying on positive or negative air pressure systems and mechanical ventilation, or aerosol or gas inhalation are not responsive to this funding solicitation.
Projects proposed should have reached a minimum technology readiness level of 3 (TRL 3). Proposals for basic research projects that have not achieved preclinical proof of concept level of development will not be considered.
Yes. Collaborations between groups with different areas of expertise and willingness to test respective technologies in combination with the innovations of others to assess their synergistic potential is encouraged.
Yes. Interested parties that do not submit this request will not be eligible for consideration. The request should be sent to HealingLungs@hhs.gov and include the project title, key project staff, and a brief description of the proposed project.
Regulatory and commercial strategies beyond the proposed study are desirable but not required.
Although new advances in this field may support improvements in the safety of ECMO patients, these technologies are not currently included under the Healing Lungs program.
No. Systemic anticoagulant drugs are out of scope under this area of interest (AOI).
Healing Lungs program is open until Feb 3, 2023
