ReAlta Life Sciences Inc. (“ReAlta” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on safely targeting neutrophils and central components of the complement system to potentially revolutionize the treatment of inflammatory disorders, today announced the launch of KnowHIE.com, a new educational website designed to help families and caregivers better understand neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and what to expect following a diagnosis.

HIE is a leading cause of neonatal mortality and long-term neurological disability. It is a serious form of brain injury that occurs when a newborn’s brain does not receive enough oxygen and blood flow during or around the time of birth. The injury can continue to evolve even after oxygen and blood flow are restored, as inflammation and other processes contribute to further brain injury. The effects of HIE can vary widely, leaving families with many questions about their baby’s diagnosis, treatment and future development.

“Our work in HIE has given us a deep appreciation for the complexity of this condition and the questions families may face following a diagnosis,” said Howard Berman, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ReAlta Life Sciences. “We launched KnowHIE.com to make information about HIE easier to understand and support easier to find. Through this resource, we hope parents and caregivers feel more informed and better prepared for conversations with their child’s healthcare team. Interactions with doctors and other medical caregivers are an essential part of proper diagnosis and treatment of HIE.”

KnowHIE.com brings together educational information and visual explanations across three key areas:

  • What is HIE: Explanations of potential causes, signs and symptoms, severity, and how medical teams evaluate and diagnose HIE.

  • Treatment & What to Expect: An overview of the standard treatment of care (cooling therapy), what families may encounter in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and possible developmental outcomes, including the distinction between HIE and cerebral palsy.

  • Support and Resources: Information on building a support network, including healthcare professionals, early-intervention services and caregiver communities, with links to Hope for HIE, a global advocacy and support organization.

“Families facing an HIE diagnosis are often introduced to an entirely new world of medical terminology, treatment decisions and uncertainty at one of the most difficult moments of their lives,” said Betsy Pilon, Executive Director of Hope for HIE. “Having access to clear, understandable information can help families feel more prepared as they navigate their child’s care, and KnowHIE adds another great resource to help them better understand HIE and connect with the broader HIE community.”

To explore the website, visit www.knowhie.com.

Follow KnowHIE on Facebook and Instagram.

About Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is a serious and often devastating form of neonatal brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain during or around the time of birth. HIE affects thousands of newborns each year in the United States and globally and remains a leading cause of neonatal mortality and long-term neurological disability, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and cognitive impairment. Therapeutic hypothermia is currently the standard of care and has been shown to provide modest benefit in some infants; however, there are currently no approved drug therapies that directly target the underlying inflammatory injury that contributes to brain damage following hypoxic ischemic events. As a result, there remains a significant unmet medical need and there is a critical need for therapies that can meaningfully improve neurological outcomes in affected infants.

About ReAlta Life Sciences

ReAlta Life Sciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company redefining the treatment possibilities for patients with devastating and historically untreatable inflammation-driven diseases by developing first-in-class tailored peptides designed to achieve life-changing outcomes with unprecedented safety. To learn more about ReAlta, visit https://realtalifesciences.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Media gallery

About The Author
Business Wire