SAN FRANCISCO– RxCell, a Bay Area-based biotechnology company focused on therapeutic applications of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), together with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), announced a co-funded collaboration to develop cellular therapeutics for age-related diseases.
As life expectancy increases, the prevalence of disability and morbidity associated with age-related diseases including age-related retinal degeneration and musculoskeletal degeneration is burgeoning. This collaboration will develop next generation cell therapies to overcome these challenges. “Loss of adult stem cell function is a contributor to aging and many associated diseases. Using stem cells to mitigate this decline in endogenous stem cell function is a novel approach that may have broad-sweeping benefits,” said Professor Brian Kennedy, Director of the NUS Centre for Healthy Longevity.
Through this collaboration, RxCell will contribute their clinical grade iPSC as well as hypoimmunogenic iPSC generated by their proprietary technologies – which confer the advantage of being able to evade the host’s immune system and avoid an unwanted immune response. This will complement IMCB’s expertise in retinal diseases and animal modelling, NUS’s expertise in age-related cell therapy strategies and SERI’s expertise in rabbits and non-human primates ocular disease models.
“This research collaboration underscores the value of academia and industry partnerships that play an essential role in translating novel scientific discoveries into important new therapeutics for improved health outcomes. It further demonstrates A*STAR’s role in adding vibrancy to the local biotech ecosystem,” said Professor Hong Wanjin, Executive Director of IMCB.
“We at RxCell are excited to establish a Joint Lab to work with IMCB, A*STAR, NUS and SERI to advance our efforts to bring much needed novel therapies to address age-related health problems,” said Professor Xianmin Zeng, Founder & CEO of RxCell.
“Our partnership with RxCell signals Singapore’s move towards harnessing stem cell regenerative technologies to improve health outcomes. As an ophthalmologist and clinician-scientist, I am excited about the potential to restore vision for patients with otherwise blinding conditions. In the near future, we plan to conduct a first-in-man clinical trial in Singapore,” said Dr. Su Xinyi, Senior Principal Investigator at IMCB, and Vitreo-Retinal Consultant at the National University Hospital.
“Currently available therapies cannot fully restore vision if a large number of cells in the retina are already damaged or lost. Cellular therapy offers the prospect to regenerate lost or damaged tissue and therefore improved outlook for patients,” said Professor Gemmy Cheung, Senior Consultant, Head of Medical Retina (SNEC).
