Functional Fluidics, a Detroit-based global health technology company specializing in red blood cell health, announced the opening of its new clinical research center and laboratory in Awka, Nigeria.
For nearly a decade, Functional Fluidics has been accelerating the development of life-changing therapies, supporting clinical trials, and bridging the gap between clinical research and patient care. During this time, pharmaceutical companies have heavily invested in red blood cell modifying therapies with a lead indication of sickle cell disease.
Between July 2017 and December 2023, the FDA approved 3 pharmaceutical and 2 gene editing therapies for sickle cell disease. There are approximately 20 pharmaceutical companies developing a pipeline of red blood cell therapies initially focused on sickle cell disease. These companies have expanded clinical trials outside of the U.S. and Europe into Sub-Saharan Africa to support clinical trials for this growing pipeline of sickle cell therapies. The new Functional Fluidics state-of-the-art facility will serve as its initial entry into Sub-Saharan Africa, to support the growing need for clinical trial infrastructure.
Sub-Saharan Africa is the global epicenter of sickle cell disease (SCD) and does not have adequate access to the most important therapies available to combat the disease. The World Health Organization indicates that nearly 70% of the global SCD population lives in Africa. Nigeria bears the greatest burden, with an estimated 4 – 6 million people living with SCD and 1 in every 4 individuals with sickle cell trait.
Functional Fluidics Nigeria will play an essential role in establishing a global standard for defining red blood cell health, enabling the generation of high-quality data for research and clinical trials, and ensuring innovative therapies are accessible to the people who need them the most.
Patrick Hines, Founder and CEO, Functional Fluidics:”This is a very important milestone in the history of our company. Our goal of facilitating the development of new therapies and improving the lives of individuals living with sickle cell disease in Nigeria and globally has finally become a reality. We are grateful to our dedicated team and stakeholders for their ongoing commitment and supporting patients”.
