Greater Winston-Salem Inc. is pleased to award a BioNest Fund grant to locally-headquartered Plakous Therapeutics as the company progresses toward human clinical trials for its patented biologic treatment. 

The company has developed a therapeutic to prevent Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), one of the deadliest gastrointestinal diseases resulting from premature birth. NEC results in approximately 1,000 deaths of the 3,000 diagnosed cases annually. 

Plakous’ core technology is a composition of biologic material that mimics developmental amniotic fluid and is formulated as a sterile, shelf-stable powder that can be reconstituted and given orally to patients within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The therapy’s goal is to promote cell proliferation and maturation in the premature intestinal tract, leading to improved outcomes for infants.

Plakous Therapeutics has received NIH funding as well as Orphan Drug and Rare Pediatric Disease designations for this innovative treatment method from the FDA. It plans to develop therapies for Osteoarthritis, Broncho-Pulmonary Dysplasia, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and neurocognitive degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, ALS, and Parkinson’s in future phases.

Plakous will use the BioNest funds to purchase capital equipment necessary to grow its research and development efforts in Winston-Salem and scale production capabilities for GMP product needed for safety studies prior to a clinical trial. The company projects a three-year investment of $700,000 for capital equipment to manufacture clinical grade product.

“As a Regenerative Medicine firm, we feel strongly that Winston-Salem is the leading Regen Med ecosystem in the country and being headquartered here will provide tremendous opportunity for growth within the ecosystem given the robust infrastructure and talent pool. We are grateful for the on-going support from Greater Winston-Salem Inc. and the community at large,” says Robert Boyce, CEO of Plakous Therapeutics. 

“Plakous Therapeutics is a prime example of the kind of innovative life sciences company that continues to elevate Winston-Salem’s reputation as a national hub for biotechnology,” says Ellis Keifer, Vice President of Economic Development for Greater Winston-Salem Inc. “We’re proud to support their growth through the BioNest Fund.”

The BioNest Fund provides up to $25,000 per company to support the growth of life sciences firms relocating to or expanding in Winston-Salem. It is made possible by support from the Whitaker Park Development Authority.