Manufacturing MSCs to treat heart disease

Regenerative medicine company Cynata Therapeutics (ASX:CYP) is collaborating with the University of Sydney to test the potential therapeutic efficacy of its Cymerus mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in animal models of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and associated heart rhythm abnormalities.

The studies will be performed under the leadership of Dr James Chong, a cardiologist at Westmead Hospital and Senior Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Sydney. With extensive experience in stem cell therapy for heart disease, Dr Chong believes “the use of cellular therapies to stimulate regeneration of the failing heart has the potential to significantly change this field”.

“MSCs from other sources have been shown to improve cardiac function after injury and are already being tested in clinical trials,” noted Dr Chong. However, existing production methods for MSCs are said to fall short in one critical area, which Cymerus technology addresses — the ability to achieve economic manufacture at commercial scale.

Cymerus produces a particular type of MSC precursor, called a mesenchymoangioblast (MCA). The Cymerus MCA platform provides a source of MSCs that is independent of donor limitations and provides a potential ‘off-the-shelf’ stem cell platform for therapeutic product use.

“The Cymerus technology is perfectly suited to the manufacturing requirements of cell-based therapies for cardiovascular disease, as it allows us to manufacture MSCs economically at scale,” said Cynata Managing Director and CEO Dr Ross Macdonald.

“Cynata’s manufacturing technology could facilitate a reliable and consistent supply of MSCs in large numbers,” added Dr Chong. “This would be a particular advantage when it comes to conditions such as heart failure.”

Cynata Therapeutics (ASX:CYP) shares were trading 6.57% higher at $0.73 as of around 11.30 am on Thursday.

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