Months after rebranding itself, Biostage Inc. is asking the FDA for orphan drug designation for its Cellspan esophageal implants, designed as an alternative to esophagectomy. CEO Jim McGorry said the company, which also is developing products for the bronchus and trachea, plans to file an IND application by the end of the year. "Assuming approval on a normal time frame, we believe that by this time next year our Cellspan esophageal implant should be in a human clinical pilot study," he told BioWorld Today.