BALTIMORE– NeoProgen, Inc., a pre-clinical stage company developing an exosome-based product from human neonatal heart-derived Medicinal Signaling Cells (nMSCs) for tissue repair and regeneration for the treatment of heart failure (HF) and other inflammatory diseases, announced that it has received a patent from the United States Patent Office Patent No.: US 10.967,007 B2 “Cardiac Stem Cells for Cardiac Repair”. The innovation was developed by Dr. Sunjay Kaushal, a pediatric cardiac surgeon, while he was at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and NeoProgen is the exclusive licensee of the newly issued patent.
The patent claims describe methods for treating cardiac conditions with an exosome-based therapy (conditioned media) derived from neonatal cardiac stem cells. The unique approach that the company has taken to isolating the cells, culturing nMSCs, characterizing them by their secretome and exosome production, and improving cardiac function by administering allogeneic nMSCs to adults and children represents an exciting therapy for heart failure and other inflammatory diseases.
“As a Cardiovascular-Thoracic surgeon, my goal is to help patients by performing heart transplantations and heart surgeries, in many cases to newborn babies that need these procedures to correct life-threatening congenital problems. For many years I have had the opportunity to study stem cells that are present in the very young heart to treat chronic diseases seen in adults, having been involved as a Principal Investigator in multiple stem cell trials. Comparative studies analyzing multiple stem cell types support the notion that nMSCs and their secretomes/exosomes derived from neonatal heart tissue covered under this patent are the most regenerative stem cell type discovered,” said Dr. Sunjay Kaushal, MD, PhD, Division Head Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and founder of NeoProgen. Dr. Kaushal explained, “Stem cell ingredients are key to their success in clinical trials. nMSCs are very special cells with a great regenerative potential and prolific abilities. The innate abilities of secretomes/exosomes from these cells set us apart from other stem cell types used in clinical trials. It’s my hope that in the future pediatric and adult patients will not only benefit from the surgeries but also by stem cell therapies like this one to improve their outcomes and quality of life.”
“This is a major milestone for NeoProgen,” said Bill Niland, the company’s CEO who has successfully founded and exited three previous healthcare companies. “In addition to expanding our patent portfolio, this patent gives us coverage of our #1 asset: a secretome/exosome product that we expect to get into a phase 1 trial this year for Ischemic Cardiomyopathy, where we have excellent pre-clinical results.”
The company has engaged BioPharma Capital to exclusively represent them in actively raising capital and in discussions with potential strategic partners. Dan Ross, Managing Partner of BioPharma Capital added, “NeoProgen stands out amongst its peers as harnessing a uniquely potent source for stem cells that, along with this newly issued patent, addresses both of the challenges that have historically beleaguered the stem cell therapy space and continue to do so today: manufacturing/supply and IP. We are pleased to be working with NeoProgen and look forward to doing our small part in helping this promising treatment make its way towards helping patients around the world.”
