Organ preservation spin-out signs manufacturing contract for medical device

Organ preservation university spin-out OrganOx has signed a five-year manufacturing contract with ITL Group for its portable, performance-critical medical device, metra, a normothermic perfusion system.

The system operates by supplying a donated liver with oxygenated blood, anti-clotting drugs and assorted nutrients, whilst keeping the organ at a stable temperature (37°C).

Tom Cole, managing director of ITL, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with OrganOx on this ground-breaking project. This agreement is yet another important milestone positioning metra as one of the most promising transplantation candidates in late-stage development. This collaboration marks the beginning of what I’m sure will be a very exciting journey for both ITL and OrganOx.”

Metra has the potential to significantly reduce the number of livers that are discarded due to damage incurred by cold storage, or a lack of oxygen.

Darius Mirza, professor of transplant surgery at University Hospitals Birmingham, said: "In the 30 years I've been involved with transplantation, there have been three or four events which have been game changers and I'm absolutely certain we are looking at a game changer that will change the way we practice organ storage and transplantation."

The metra system can preserve and maintain a donated liver for up to 24 hours between the point of retrieval and transplantation. This extended preservation time will increase the number and quality of livers available to transplant patients.

Liver perfusion is currently performed on the NHS in a small number of specialist centres in the UK.

Craig Marshall, CEO of OrganOx, said: “This agreement is strategically important to OrganOx as we prepare to penetrate the US market, I have a manufacturing background and I know the importance of working with the best partners in the supply chain. ITL is a great fit with OrganOx given their track record of successfully bringing medical devices to the market coupled with UK HQ with a presence in the US and in China.”