Every year, around 185,000 individuals in the U.S. face amputation, often due to inadequate blood supply. Humacyte, a biotech firm, has received FDA approval for a bioengineered blood vessel that can treat severe vascular injuries, offering an alternative when suitable veins are unavailable. Founder Laura Niklason's journey began in the 1990s, driven by witnessing the challenges of vein harvesting during surgeries. Over a decade of research and testing with human cells culminated in a breakthrough product, providing hope for injured patients needing effective blood flow restoration without relying solely on harvested veins.
"Some patients are so badly injured that they don't have any veins available. Even when a patient has a usable one, a vein often isn't a good replacement for an artery."
"Niklason first became interested in the idea of growing spare blood vessels in the 1990s, when she was training to be a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital."
"It was just really barbaric... She figured there had to be a better way".
"After those early experiments, it was a long road to an FDA-approved product for humans."
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