Maroon Biotech

Maroon Biotech has developed a new category of pharmaceuticals called surfactant chaperones. This technology has the capability to restore structure and viability to cells disrupted by physical and chemical trauma. By reversing post-traumatic molecular alterations, Maroon Biotech’s technology promises to improve recovery from vehicular, military and other types of severe traumatic injuries, electrical shock and reperfusion injury. The technology has already demonstrated effectiveness at treating experimental spinal cord injury, myocardial infarction (heart attack) and brain injury. Fundamentally, surfactant chaperones mimic behaviors exhibited by naturally occurring stress proteins that protect living systems after injury. The safety of certain synthetic surfactants that act as molecular chaperones has been proven over time. In particular, polymeric surfactant chaperones that are symmetric block copolymers of polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide (PEO-PPO-PEO) have been used to reduce blood viscosity for more than fifty years. The capability of this surfactant to repair damaged cell membranes, however, was unknown until the late 1980’s when Raphael C. Lee, MD, ScD, DSc, Professor of Molecular Medicine and Surgery at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, discovered its unique cell membrane healing properties. Dr. Lee’s exciting discovery spurred research into clinical applications that continues today. The first product from Dr. Lee’s laboratory has achieved FDA approval for testing in electrical shock victims. Another product under development in partnership with Purdue University is expected to enable human victims of spinal cord injury to regain more of their sensory and motor functions. Because a protocol for treating spinal cord injury would likely qualify for orphan drug status, it could receive accelerated FDA approval and be on the market in four to five years.