UNandUP LLC has quietly amassed more than $2-Million in Small Business Innovation Research grants in it’s three and a half year existence.
According to a website run by the National Institutes of Health the company received $401,401 in funding this year for the development of a “magnetic bronchoscope for improved pulmonary access” – basically, a robotic bronchhoscopy platform that uses a smaller scope, with greater control, to detect suspicious nodules (perhaps cancer) deep inside a patient’s lungs.
“We’re stealthy,” said UNandUP co-founder, president and CEO Francis Creighton told the 4thEst8 while declining a request for an interview for this story.
Stealthy, but actively developing a healthcare technology portfolio focused on robotics. Here’s five Phase 1 SBIR grants that pre-date the most recent funding.
- 2020 Phase I for $299,946 – “An Improved Intra-Arterial Delivery Platform for Glioblastoma Multiforme”
- 2019 Phase I for $299,821 – “Magnetomotive Embolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
- 2019 Phase I for $349,865 – “An Improved Robotic Electrophysiology Platform for Arrhythmia Ablation”
- 2019 Phase I for $399,414 – “Acute Ischemic Stroke Neuroprotection Platform to Overcome Care Disparities for Rural Populations”
- 2019 Phase I for $415,897 – “A Remotely-Operated Robotic Endovascular Platform to Improve Thrombectomy Access”
While none of these Phase I’s will necessarily result in awards for the millions that can come with every Phase II, there is that possibility. Phase I’s generally cover a proof of concept and Phase II’s are for further development and various studies – animal, human, clinical, etc. And the company sounds optimistic that at least two more SBIR grants of some kind are coming in 2021. On the investor/startup connecting site F6S the UNandUP company profile brags that Creighton “obtained 6 NIH SBIR grants for UNandUP, with very high scores (18-25) on 2 more likely to be awarded in 2021.”
The company website lists six employees, five of them scientists. The startup is headquartered in the 4220 Duncan building of the CIC in the Cortex district of St. Louis. It was formed in Dec. 2017 in the state of Missouri as and LLC.
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