C-DOCTOR ITP Hydronovo, Inc. Receives SBIR/STTR Award for Salivary Gland Regeneration Research

Hydronovo, Inc. has been awarded a $1.04 million SBIR/STTR Award from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) for the project titled “Regeneration of radiation-damaged salivary glands using neurogenic stimulation of stem cells.”

Led by Chelsea Bahney, PhD, and Sarah Knox, PhD, the project addresses xerostomia (chronic dry mouth), a condition that affects up to one in four adults over age 50 and commonly results from radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, autoimmune disease, or aging. Current treatments are largely palliative and fail to restore salivary gland function.

Hydronovo’s investigational therapy, Ceviginate (CVGN8), is an injectable neuromimetic hydrogel designed to regenerate salivary glands by reactivating stem cells and restoring their secretory function. With FDA guidance and prior NIH and CIRM support, Hydronovo will use this award to complete IND-enabling studies, including large-animal safety testing, packaging development, and shelf-life testing—key steps toward first-in-human clinical trials.

Hydronovo’s mission is to pioneer regenerative therapies that restore communication between nerves and organ-specific stem cells, offering new hope to patients living with xerostomia.