A new drug to improve the use of donor hearts for transplants
Official title: Nourexal™: A Novel Bioenergetic Drug to Increase Donor Heart Utilization
Funded at Nour Heart, INC. · NIH-11209264 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new drug called Nourexal™ that helps keep donor hearts healthy during transportation, so they can be used for transplanting into patients who need a new heart.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nour Heart, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Vienna, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $50,000 |
| NIH project number | 3R44HL174138-01A1S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11209264 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals awaiting heart transplants who may benefit from an increased availability of donor hearts.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not candidates for heart transplantation or those with conditions that preclude them from receiving a transplant may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates Nourexal™, a bioenergetic drug designed to enhance the preservation and recovery of donor hearts during transplantation. The drug aims to increase the viability of hearts that would otherwise be rejected due to limited transport time after donation. By improving energy stores in the heart and reducing cell injury, Nourexal™ could allow for longer storage times and better outcomes for transplanted hearts. The research will involve preparing the drug for FDA approval and conducting safety trials in healthy volunteers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly increase the number of donor hearts available for transplantation, improving outcomes for patients in need of heart transplants.
How similar studies have gone: Similar approaches in enhancing organ preservation have shown promise, but this specific application of Nourexal™ is novel and untested in human trials.
Where this research is happening
-
Nour Heart, INC.
Vienna, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elgebaly, Salwa a — Nour Heart, INC.
- Study coordinator: Elgebaly, Salwa a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.