Lecithin‐Modified Nanoscale Oxygen Carriers (LENOX): New Designed Perfluorocarbon‐Based Artificial Oxygen Carriers Ready‐to‐Use in Clinically Relevant Media

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) have been part of artificial oxygen carrier (AOC) research for decades. PFC‐based AOCs stand out because of their characteristic physicochemical properties such as high gas solubility, low viscosity, high vapor pressure, and their chemical and biological inertness. For clinical use as red blood cell substitute for intravenous use or in machine perfusion of donor organs, PFCs require emulsification and stability in environments with high ionic strength, which is realized by the combination of albumin and lecithin as emulsifiers, resulting in ready‐to‐use lecithin‐modified nanoscale oxygen carriers (LENOX). LENOX are the first PFC‐based AOC, in which these two emulsifiers have been combined. The novel AOC LENOX result in improved physicochemical properties proven by higher zeta potential, smaller size, narrow particle size distribution, low molecular diffusion during storage as ready‐to‐use product, and high oxygen capacity. LENOX, in contrast to precursor formulations, are now compatible with a broad variety of clinically relevant solutions such as Steen Solution, Sterofundin ISO, or Custodiol, which allow the use of LENOX in numerous clinical scenarios such as blood replacement, transplantation, or preservation. LENOX show no cytotoxic effects in cell culture models and are therefore suitable for in vitro use.