Embody lands $2.5m from DARPA

Soft-tissue repair treatment developer Embody announced that it has landed a $2.5 million grant  from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
The latest DARPA funding brings Norfolk, Va.-based Embody’s total DARPA non-dilutive funding to nearly $14.4 million, according to a news release. Embody plans to use the Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award to fund the development and clinical assessment of its Microbrace ACL technology for the repair of anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
Embody develops techniques to assemble molecular-level collagen into biocompatible repair material with tailorable 3D structure for ACL repair. The Microbrace is a stand-alone, off-the-shelf product designed to restore mechanical stability to the knee joint as it gradually remodels the joint over time.
“We are excited for this opportunity to extend our work with DARPA and apply our collagen microfiber technology to a significant clinical application,” Embody CEO Jeff Conroy said in the news release.  “This funding represents the next significant step in the commercialization of Embody’s Microbrace for ACL repair.”
“A collagen implant that provides strength long enough to protect a surgical repair or reconstruction yet remodels over time is quite desirable,” added Dr. Kevin Bonner, an orthopedic surgeon and director of the research foundation at the Jordan-Young Institute (Virginia Beach, Va.). “There are numerous potential applications for the Embody Microbrace including ACL surgery.”
Original Article: (https://www.massdevice.com/embody-lands-2-5m-from-darpa/)