A Medical Device Daily

Arteriocyte (Cleveland) reported it will receive $800,000 for its Cellular Therapy for Battlefield Wounds project from the 2008 Defense Appropriations bill the president signed into law Nov. 13. U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) championed the effort to secure the funding.

"This project will help improve the medical care and surgical outcomes for our soldiers on the front lines of the Iraq War," Tubbs Jones said. "Arteriocyte's advanced cellular therapy program for re-establishing normal blood flow to damaged tissues represents a major improvement in the care of soldiers and patients in our health care system with tissue injuries."

"Arteriocyte's advancements in this vital area of research and development are not only important for the health of our soldiers, they are also important to the health of our economy," said Brown. "I am pleased to support Arteriocyte and other leading life-sciences companies in their efforts to advance medical innovation that will foster economic growth for Ohio."

Wound healing and cardiovascular care are top priorities within the military because tissue damage occurs in an estimated 80% of combat casualties, the company said. The Arteriocyte Cellular Therapy for Battlefield Wounds project responds to this need by utilizing a patient's own stem cells to improve blood flow in damaged tissues and accelerate healing.