With strong ties in to the University of Pittsburgh Biotech center, Advanced Extravascular Systems is currently designing improved extracorporeal specific antibody filters (SAFs). The desired improvements would lead to a new line of SAF's that are able to selectively remove pathogenic antibodies from the bloodstream, without removing beneficial antibodies and other important plasma proteins, and without the need to separate or exchange plasma. Applications of this technology include the prevention of hyperacute rejection following organ transplant and the reduction of tissue damage caused by autoimmune diseases. The primary application of the technology, and the central interest of current research in the lab, is the development and production of SAFs capable of removing anti-A and anti-B blood group antibodies. Such SAFs would play a pivotal role in facilitating ABO-incompatible renal transplants.
