ERIC KOLENICH
Richmond Times-Dispatch

In 2012, a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher took the first steps toward inventing a treatment for patients with severe blood loss, such as gunshot victims and passengers in car crashes.

The U.S. Army took interest, believing the intravenous solution could save the lives of soldiers. The Army gave the project $12 million. In 2020, the initiative became its own corporation, Perfusion Medical. Now, it is one of the most promising pieces of the thriving innovation division at VCU and the burgeoning pharmaceutical industry in greater Richmond.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., toured Perfusion Medical’s facility at VCU on Monday, offering support and urging researchers to get their products across the finish line.

Srirama Rao, VCU’s vice president for innovation, said the city needs to seize momentum and make itself a destination for medical invention. “Richmond’s time has come to be the next innovation hub in the country,” Rao said.

Continued at Richmond Times-Dispatch.