We are creating the first commercially available extracorporeal CO2 removal device that uses ultra-low-blood flow to treat patients with hypercarbic respiratory failure. This condition, which causes accumulation of CO2 levels in the blood, can be triggered by many chronic diseases, such as COPD and cystic fibrosis, as well as acute trauma or respiratory infection. Current medical therapy is inadequate; millions of people around the world suffer from trouble breathing and reduced quality of life. We are changing that with a solution that is:
Instead of pushing the failing lungs to work harder, X-COR directly reconditions blood to allow the lungs to recover.
X-COR Therapeutics is a Baltimore based medical device company creating the first commercially available CO2 removal device that uses ultra-low-blood flows for a cheaper, safer, and more accessible treatment for acute respiratory failure. X-COR was a winner in the 2019 Harvard Business School New Venture Competition and the 2018 Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge with its device, a novel consumable hybrid cartridge that removes CO2 from patients’ blood with less invasive procedures than high-flow alternatives. X-COR was a part of the 2018 MedTech Innovator and MassChallenge cohorts.
X-COR’s core technology is a patent-pending medical device that allows physicians to remove excess CO2 from patients who are in symptomatic lung failure and its accompanying control algorithm that is based on machine-learning techniques. The system is compatible with existing medical device infrastructure for ease of use, wide-spread adoption, and rapid deployment. Unlike other technologies to treat lung failure, X-COR uses a hybrid approach that allows patients’ blood to be drawn at <300 ml/min flows through small catheters that can be placed by nursing staff with existing protocols. This therapy is more affordable, safer, and more accessible than existing comparable extracorporeal devices that often require >1 L/min flows and highly specialized physician interventions.
Core Team
X-COR is led by a team with years of experience together.
Steven P. Keller, MD, PhD
Co-Founder | CEO
Steve is a pulmonary and critical care physician and professor at Johns Hopkins Hospital where he attends within several intensive care units. He is also affiliated faculty at the Harvard-MIT Biomedical Engineering Center where he conducts research on mechanical circulatory support, organ-device interactions, and extracorporeal organ perfusion.
Cameron Jones, PhD
VP of Engineering
Cameron received his PhD from the University of Kentucky with research expertise in fluid dynamics related to blood flow through membrane oxygenators. With several prior industry experiences, Cameron is proficient in lean startup methodology, product management, design controls, technology licensing, and regulatory strategies for combination products.
Nicholas Williams, PhD
VP of Technology and Product Development
Nick received a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Duke University where he used printed electronics to advance biosensors and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University where his research focused on developing wearable sensors for health and safety monitoring. Nick has also served as president of a consulting group providing pro-bono management to nonprofits.
Jayon Wang, MBA, MSc
Co-Founder | Business Development
Jayon received his MBA from Harvard Business School, where he specialized in technology development and new business creation. He was previously the CEO and a co-founder at LifeShel and has worked at big and small firms, ranging from ExxonMobil and Danaher to Lumina Decision Systems.
Brian Y. Chang, MD, PhD
Co-Founder | Technology
Brian completed his MD at HMS and PhD in medical engineering at MIT during which he developed a novel clinically deployed theranostic application for mechanical circulatory support devices. He previously spent time designing carbon capture systems for power plants.