1945
The researchers approached Pharmacia, a Swedish pharmaceutical company, to inquire about their interest in turning the idea into a product.
A legacy of Swedish innovation
PERFADEX®, the gold standard in donor lung preservation for transplantation, was not an overnight success. The low-potassium dextran (LPD) solution that is now known as PERFADEX® Plus is the result of decades of innovation and development, with its origins primarily in the preservation of other organs.
Usage of Dextran in medical practice - an unlikely discovery
The road to PERFADEX® began as far back as 1945 when a
group of scientists from the Institute of Biochemistry at
Uppsala University, led by Anders Grönwall and Björn
Ingelman conducted research for the Swedish Sugar
Company (Svenska Sockerbolaget).
In the search for contamination in sugar beet juice they
discovered that the polysaccharide Dextran could be used as
a plasma substitute.
This unexpected discovery ended a long search for a
practical, nontoxic plasma substitute and marked the
beginning of Dextran's use in medical practice.
1947
Pharmacia launched the blood substitute Macrodex, the first of several Dextran-based products that formed the basis of Pharmacia's commercial success and global expansion.
1945
The researchers approached Pharmacia, a Swedish pharmaceutical company, to inquire about their interest in turning the idea into a product.
1947
Pharmacia launched the blood substitute Macrodex, the first of several Dextran-based products that formed the basis of Pharmacia's commercial success and global expansion.
First use of PERFADEX in organ preservation
The first use of PERFADEX in organ preservation occurred in the late 1960s, following a number of studies and clinical experiments that explored the benefits of Dextran 40 in cases of impaired perfusion, including conditions like hypothermia, cold injury, and organ preservation.
1968
First successful use of an early formulation of PERFADEX in the preservation of human kidneys.[1]
1970
PERFADEX is approved by the Swedish Medical Products Agency for ex-vivo preservation of human organs.
1968
First successful use of an early formulation of PERFADEX in the preservation of human kidneys.[1]
1970
PERFADEX is approved by the Swedish Medical Products Agency for ex-vivo preservation of human organs.
PERFADEX in lung
preservation and transplantation
During the 1980's and early 1990's many pioneering
animal studies were conducted demonstrating the
beneficial effect of PERFADEX in preservation of
donated lungs.
Despite the growing body of pre-clinical evidence, the
adoption into clinical practice
in lung transplantation was slow.
It was not until routine lung transplantation became
clinically feasible that PERFADEX became widely used
for lung preservation.
1995
First implementation of PERFADEX in clinical lung preservation led by a transplant team in Münich.
1999
The transplant team publish their first experience. It showed that the beneficial effect of PERFADEX observed in pre-clinical experiments, could be demonstrated also in clinical lung transplantation. [2]
1995
First implementation of PERFADEX in clinical lung preservation led by a transplant team in Münich.
1999
The transplant team publish their first experience. It showed that the beneficial effect of PERFADEX observed in pre-clinical experiments, could be demonstrated also in clinical lung transplantation. [2]
XVIVO acquires the rights to PERFADEX and establishes collaboration with Professor Stig Steen
In 1998, Magnus Nilsson acquired the rights to PERFADEX and
established XVIVO. XVIVO continued its collaboration with Stig Steen at
Lund University and the collaboration further led to the development of
Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion (EVLP), STEEN Solution and the XVIVO heart
preservation method and technology.
In 2001, PERFADEX was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for the preservation of lungs.
This marked the start of its worldwide commercial success.
1998
XVIVO acquires the rights to PERFADEX, XVIVO's first product.
2001
PERFADEX approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
1998
XVIVO acquires the rights to PERFADEX, XVIVO's first product.
2001
PERFADEX approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
PERFADEX Plus
More than 40 years after the creation of PERFADEX, XVIVO decided to
further improve its safety and ease of use.
XVIVO discovered that the combination of adding calcium ions and THAM
before sterilization, improved stability and allowed for physiologically
acceptable pH levels.
As calcium ions are known to have additional beneficial effects on organ
vasculature, the ready-to-use product PERFADEX Plus was created.
Launched in 2018, PERFADEX Plus has since become the dominant lung preservation
solution on the market, improving safety and usability during
lung retrieval and preservation as the first and only ready-to-use,
PERFADEX-like solution commercially available.
2018
PERFADEX Plus is launched - the first and only ready-to-use, PERFADEX-like solution commercially available.
2018
PERFADEX Plus is launched - the first and only ready-to-use, PERFADEX-like solution commercially available.
[1] Brunius U, et al. The Cadaveric Kidney in Clinical Transplantation. Scand J Urol Nephrol. 1968;2(1):15-23.
[2] *Müller C, et al. Lung Procurement by Low-Potassium Dextran and the Effect on Preservat ion Injury. Transplantation 68(8):p 1139-1143, 1999.
[3] Steen S, et al. Safe Lung Preservat ion for Twenty-Four Hours With PERFADEX®. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 1994;57:450-7.
Past and future
The story of PERFADEX® is long and rich with scientific discovery. The scientific findings made in the 1940s through Dextran research led directly to the invention of the PERFADEX solution in the 1960s. These discoveries and innovations were crucial when Magnus Nilsson launched and continued to build the XVIVO company during the start of the new millennium and remain at the heart of what XVIVO does today — half a century later.
