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

September 11, 2025
Members are invited to join G2G’s Monthly GBG Reporting Service Webinar on September 18, 2025 . The first portion ( 12:00–12:30 PM ET ) is free and open to all, offering a high-level overview of current federal funding trends. The second half ( 12:30–1:00 PM ET ) is a premium consultation available only to Georgia Life Sciences members, offering direct access to G2G’s expert team—who have helped secure over $550 million in non-dilutive government funding since 2007. Register here: https://www.g2gconsulting.com/event/non-dilutive-funding-g2gs-monthly-gbg-reporting-service-webinar-14-3/2025-09-18/ Key opportunities this month include DARPA’s Expedited Research Innovation System for CBRN threat defense technologies, BARDA’s I-CREATE diagnostic funding and VANGUARD biomanufacturing tools development (each offering up to $200,000), NIAID tuberculosis and influenza research units (up to $1.5–$2.5 million annually), DoD’s $4 million Advanced Medical Monitor development through MTEC, and multiple SBIR opportunities for sensors and field-deployable diagnostics (up to $209,575 for Phase I awards). The September GBG report highlights 13 immunology and infectious disease opportunities, 10 cognitive and brain health programs, and several biotechnology and biomanufacturing initiatives across federal agencies including the Army, ARPA-H, BARDA, and NSF. Georgia Life Sciences members can access the complete 29-page report with detailed deadlines and eligibility requirements [insert link or portal instructions here]. GLS members can access the full 29-page report with deadlines and submission details by logging into your member portal.
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