Vancouver’s ABOzymes is now Avivo.
Built upon the discoveries of Dr. Peter Rahfeld and Professor Stephen G. Withers of UBC’s Michael Smith Laboratories, ABOzymes was named one of 10 homegrown startups to watch in 2021 by Techcouver.
In emergency situations when there isn’t time to cross-match a patient’s blood type, doctors have to use universal donor blood to save their life. Unfortunately, this blood type (type-O) is always in short supply. Avivo’s technology makes all blood O-type, so any blood can be used for any patient, regardless of their blood type.
The new identity and new name reflects the evolution of the company since its founding in 2020 while maintaining the company’s founding vision – to create a world where blood type is no longer the first constraint in accessing life-saving organ transplants or blood transfusions.
The new name takes the prefix “a”, which means “from or for,” and “vivo”, which means “life” – together Avivo means “from life, for life.”
A corresponding brand has been created to convey both the freshness and maturity of the company. With a goal to improve patient lives, the new identity conveys a hopeful outlook: a “second chance at life”.
“While the ABOzymes brand has served us well, our research and audience discovery has told us a new name and brand as strong as our science is required to better express our evolving story and direction,” said John Coleman, President and CEO of Avivo.
The rebrand to Avivo also includes a new website designed to address broad stakeholder interests and includes a new video highlighting how Avivo is reimagining what’s possible when we eliminate blood type constraints.
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