Omnio receives funding for wound treatment

Omnio has shown that plasminogen is a pro-inflammatory regulator of inflammation that can be used to treat chronic wounds with dysfunctional inflammation. Photo/Omnio
Omnio plasminogen

Swedish company Omnio AB has shown plasminogen is a pro-inflammatory regulator of inflammation that can be used to treat chronic wounds with dysfunctional inflammation.

The company, a spin off from Umeå University, said the drug could mean a global treatment revolution for wounds that never heal. 

Non-healing chronic wounds are a major global health problem and pose a burden to patients, healthcare professionals, and the healthcare system. The most problematic are diabetic ulcers, venous ulcers, and pressure ulcers. 

Ten million people each year have amputations due to non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). More than 50% of all lower limb amputations are caused by DFU.

The Umeå-based biopharmaceutical company has received a capital injection of €1.5 million ($1.5 million) from its shareholders to be used for ongoing development work and to start on a blueprint for manufacturing. 

Additional funds

Although several key milestones remain before Omnio AB’s injectable drug is approved and ready for mass production, there have already been physician-led studies and successful trials involving patients with clinical wounds. 

Ulrika Norin, CEO of Omnio AB, said: “It is unbelievable what some people have to go through and how restricted they are by their wounds. One of our patients suffered with an ulcer for nine years, but got better after plasminogen treatment.”

The additional €1.5 million adds to the approximately SEK 26 million ($2.4 million) it has received from investors and shareholders over the past year, as well as financial support from Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova.

Thanks to a new share issue of SEK 5.5 million ($500,000) in December last year, Omnio AB has been able to start working with a contract manufacturer. Now the company said it can go further and develop a manufacturing process at the beginning of next year – a prerequisite for starting the preclinical program required to initiate a clinical trial. Omnio AB aims for its first clinical trials in 2024. 

Continued support

“It’s very positive to have the continued support of our shareholders, that they believe in the potential of our company and that the treatment we are developing can make a significant difference. Now we have the opportunity to grow even more as a company and form our organization,” Norin said.

“We expect our treatment to be able to both speed up the wound healing process and prevent patients from having to face amputations. We have a long way to go and need to conduct a controlled clinical trial to show that it really works, but the mechanism for how plasminogen works in the wound healing process is proven and very well documented.”

Explore other topics: BiomanufacturingFundingSweden

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