Annoviant™ Awarded $2.99 Million NIH Grant to Advance TxGuard™ Pulmonary-Valved Conduit for Pediatric Heart Disease

Funding represents a significant step forward in Annoviant’s mission to transform the landscape of pediatric cardiac care.

Atlanta, April 16, 2024 – Annoviant™, Inc., a pioneering company with a breakthrough TxGuard TM  technology platform for soft-tissue healing, currently focused on cardiovascular field, proudly announces receipt of a $2.99 million grant (SBIR Phase 2b) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant aims to propel the development and commercialization of its revolutionary TxGuard™pulmonary valved conduit. Building upon the Phase II NIH Grant secured in 2021, this funding represents a significant step forward in Annoviant’s mission to transform the landscape of pediatric cardiac care.

Annoviant’s patented TxGuard™stands at the forefront of technological innovation in conduit replacements for treating congenital heart disease (CHD), the most prevalent birth defect globally and a leading cause of birth-related mortality. CHD encompasses a spectrum of abnormalities that disrupt blood flow to and from the heart, affecting approximately 40,000 newborns annually in the US and 1.35 million worldwide. With an estimated 2.9 million CHD patients in the US alone, the need for advanced solutions is paramount.

Addressing critical shortcomings observed in current commercial devices, TxGuard™offers unparalleled clinical advantages, notably its resistance to calcification, thrombosis, infection, and the host cell integration. This cutting-edge technology heralds a new era in pediatric cardiac interventions, providing durable pulmonary valved grafts that adapt and regenerate alongside patients, minimizing the need for multiple re-operations over their lifetimes.

“We are delighted to receive this additional grant from the NIH, accompanied by matching funds from our esteemed investors. This marks a significant milestone for Annoviant as we accelerate our pursuit of impactful innovation to save lives,” said Ajay Houde, Ph.D., MBA, Co-Founder, and CEO of Annoviant.

Pediatric patients with CHD often undergo multiple cardiovascular surgeries throughout their lives, with associated costs totaling billions for the US healthcare industry. TxGuard™offers a transformative solution to this ongoing challenge, promising extended durability and reduced healthcare burden for patients and providers alike.

Dr. Naren Vyavahare, Ph.D., Annoviant’s CTO, and Co-Founder, commented, “Pediatric CHD patients require medical devices that can evolve with them into adulthood. After fifteen years of dedicated research, we have developed TxGuard™technology to address this critical need, resisting thrombosis and calcification while promoting host cell integration and remodeling. With NIH Phase IIb funding, we look forward to further refining pulmonary valved conduits for the benefit of CHD patients.”

About Annoviant

Founded in 2018, Annoviant™is a pioneering healthcare innovation company committed to the development of transformative medical devices aimed at enhancing and saving lives. Driven by the personal experiences of its co-founders, Annoviant is fueled by an unwavering dedication to positively impact the lives and treatment outcomes of congenital heart disease (CHD) patients. At the heart of Annoviant’s mission is TxGuard™, a patented breakthrough innovation designed to heal and adapt alongside patients battling life-threatening congenital heart disease and other soft tissue applications. This portfolio of patented breakthrough devices addresses numerous clinical challenges, offering the potential to significantly reduce healthcare costs by obviating the need for repetitive surgeries. Annoviant actively collaborates with a diverse network, including leading research institutions and industry partners nationwide, to advance its innovative solutions. For further details, please visit  Annoviant.com.

NIH:  Research reported in this news release was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Award Number 2R44HL147771-04. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:

Annoviant Media Relations
pr@annoviant.com

December 10, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences has joined 43 state and regional life sciences organizations in signing a national Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) letter calling on Congress to take immediate action on three bipartisan policy priorities that are essential to sustaining U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation and supporting patients nationwide. With Congress back in session and several critical programs at risk of expiring, the letter urges congressional leaders to advance the following provisions without delay: 1. Reauthorize the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PPRV) Program The PPRV program has been instrumental in incentivizing the development of therapies for children with rare and life-threatening conditions. Its lapse threatens to slow or halt research that families across the country are counting on. 2. Extend the SBIR/STTR Programs The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs provide crucial early-stage capital for emerging biotech and medtech companies—many of them in Georgia. Without reauthorization, hundreds of innovative small businesses face uncertainty, jeopardizing new therapies, diagnostics, and technologies in the pipeline, 3. Advance PBM Transparency Reforms Greater transparency and accountability within pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices are needed to ensure that savings reach patients and employers. Reforming PBM operations is essential to strengthening access and affordability across the healthcare system. A Unified Message from the Life Sciences Community The sign-on letter reflects broad, bipartisan alignment across the national life sciences ecosystem: researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, patient advocates, and state associations all share a common message— these programs underpin America’s global competitiveness and are vital to patients who rely on continued scientific progress. Georgia Life Sciences has shared the letter with members of Georgia’s congressional delegation and will continue engaging with policymakers to emphasize the importance of swift action.
December 7, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences is proud to stand with patient advocates, providers, and employers across the state in urging Congress to take meaningful action on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform. We recently signed on to a joint letter to Georgia’s Congressional Delegation stressing the urgent need for transparency, fair practices, and policies that ensure savings flow directly to patients.
December 4, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences’ CEO, Maria Thacker Goethe shares her perspective on the value of Georgia’s research universities in this month’s issue of Georgia Trend. “Georgia research institutions have felt a very significant impact from the federal rollbacks, specifically in NIH and NSF funding. Thacker Goethe’s message about the impact of research cuts is simple: Disruption shatters the foundational trust researchers have in grant continuity….” To read the full article, click here .
MORE POSTS