About Ischemix
Ischemix is a privately-held clinical phase company developing therapeutic compounds to reduce cell and organ damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury. The Company's leading compound CMX-2043 is a unique dual-function molecule. Ischemix has completed both safety studies in humans and demonstrated proof-of-principle for the reduction of myocardial injury in patients undergoing a cardiac interventional procedure.
Ischemix (pronounced iss-KEY-mix) is based on the word “ischemia” which describes the medical condition of insufficient blood flow to living cells or organs of the body. The word has a Greek origin; isch means restriction, hema or haema refers to blood.
Ischemix is developing therapies to protect against the damaging effects associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury in the heart, brain, and other organs.
Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
A heart attack or “myocardial infarction” is usually caused by blockage of an artery supplying the heart. Muscle cells beyond the block are then deprived of oxygen and nutrients. This ischemic event leads to regional cell death which may be fatal.
Cardiac surgeries and interventional procedures to restore or improve blood flow may temporarily increase ischemia, and also paradoxically result in additional “reperfusion injury” caused by the rapid restoration of blood flow. Ischemia-reperfusion injury can exceed the initial ischemic damage. Ischemia-reperfusion injury can lead to extended hospital stay, limit recovery in patients undergoing cardiac surgeries and interventional procedures, and add thousands to hospital costs.