Globin Solutions, a poisoning antidote spinout from University of Pittsburgh, has closed more than $5m in series A funding with investors including UPMC Enterprises, the commercialisation arm of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

The round was led by Tus-S&T Service Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tsinghua University’s enterprise arm, TusHoldings.

Globin Solutions is working on an antidote combatting severe carbon monoxide poisoning. A large intake of carbon monoxide can be fatal and can result from situations such as household fires.

Globin hopes its treatment will supplant current alternatives, which rely on administering pure or highly pressurised oxygen to quickly displace carbon monoxide in the victim’s blood stream.

The series A cash will be earmarked for further development as Globin prepares to begin preclinical work on the antidote.

Globin Solutions was co-founded by three members of University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine – Mark Gladwin, the chairman for medicine, Jason Rose, assistant professor of medicine and bioengineering, and Jesus Bravo, assistant professor of medicine.

Rose said: “There is a dire need for new options for patients with carbon monoxide poisoning, especially one that could be given quickly in the field or when a victim arrives in the emergency room.”