Improve blood flow, preserve the brain
Stroke is a devastating condition. Collateral vessels in the brain offer an avenue to preserving brain tissue and improving patient outcomes. Nanonitrate offers targeted vasodilator delivery to high shear stress vessels. Collateral vessels opened through this method can reroute blood supply the brain and extend the treatment window for other stroke therapies.
This innovative approach offers a rapid path to Phase II data, with a global market opportunity. By working with existing standard-of-care frontline stroke therapies, ShearFlow is positioned to transform stroke treatment.
Stroke: An urgent unmet clinical need
Time is brain
⎖ Improving brain survival time can increase the number of patients that receive vessel re-opening therapies ⎖ Can this potentially improve their effectiveness? ⎖ Only 7.5% of patients both receive therapy and derive benefit
How can we buy time?
⎖ Can we enhance blood flow to increase the number of patients that can receive and benefit therapy? ⎖ Significant reductions in morbidity can be achieved by: ⎖ increasing patients receiving therapy ⎖ increasing the clinical impact of these therapies
*Sources: (1) Stroke Foundation 2024; (2) Anderson et al. Nurs Criitical Care 2016; (3) Fang MC, et.al., J Hosp Med 2010; (4) Goyal, M, et al. Lancet 2016
Technology
ShearFlow is a joint venture between University of Newcastle & Harvard, spinning out in Q2 2025. Nanonitrate is a nanoparticle vasodilator, delivered directly to the collateral vessels in ischaemic stroke. Nanonitrate increases perfusion to brain tissue and reduces cell death.
We discovered that high velocity blood flow in collateral vessels during ischemic stroke increases a frictional force known as shear-stress. We developed a Shear-Targeted drug delivery system containing the potent vasodilator nitroglycerin, that only releases the drug in areas of high shear stress (i.e. selectively targets the collateral vessels).
This demonstrated extensive POC data in animal models, including selective, rapid and significant improvements in collateral blood flow and stroke outcomes. This discovery is the first indication for collateral blood flow enhancement in ischaemic stroke.
We are seeking Partners
ShearFlow seeks partners to accelerate the current and future preclinical and clinical programs.