Yissum Licenses Stem Cell Technologies for Spinal Therapy to TheraCell
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Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd., the technology transfer arm of the University, has announced that it has licensed a novel package of stem cell related technologies to TheraCell, Inc. (California, USA), which will further develop and commercialize the technology for advanced regenerative medicine procedures such as spinal fusion.
The technology was invented by a team headed by Professor Dan Gazit from the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The licensed technology includes a biologically compatible, oxygenated gel that improves bone regeneration and fusion of bone grafts. The novel technology will be used in conjunction with TheraCell's proprietary scaffold technology for enhancing the efficiency of spinal fusion procedures. The combined product is recognized as a medical device, enabling an expedited regulatory pathway.
"The novel technology invented by Prof. Gazit and his team is another example of the innovative and creative research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem," said Yehuda Yarmut, Deputy CEO of Yissum. "The ability to ensure adequate oxygen levels for cells can help not only with bone healing and bone stem cells, but also holds great promise for other stem cells, as well as for the survival of engineered tissue and organ grafts."
Spinal fusion is a surgical technique used to immobilize two or more vertebrae, usually in order to eliminate the pain caused by abnormal motion of the vertebrae. The procedure relies on a graft of bone tissue in conjunction with the body's natural ability to grow new bone tissue. The current treatment requires the harvest of substantial amounts of autologous bone, while the oxygenated gel will significantly reduce the required bone harvest, accelerate and improve fusion success rate.
Professor Gazit's invention includes a special scaffold with a particularly high oxygen-carrying capacity, which aims to increase fusion rates by increasing local oxygenation at the surgical site. Scaffolds derived from this technology will act to improve oxygenation and encourage the activity of stem cells and bone-forming cells, or osteoblasts. In preclinical experiments in rodents, accelerated spinal fusion and bone fracture healing were observed, as well as improved stem cell survival.
In addition, the licensing agreement includes efficient methods for purifying and manipulating stem cells derived from patients. These methods for deriving autologous stem cells, also invented by Prof. Gazit's team, will be further developed and used by TheraCell in combination with a future, injectable or transplantable version of the scaffold that will enable an injectable therapy for spine disorders.
Furthermore, TheraCell aims to develop a revolutionary point-of-care device for isolating and processing stem cells based on the Gazit’s inventions. This "portable lab" will facilitate broad use of the injectable or transplantable, stem cell containing oxygenated gel.
The technology was invented by a team headed by Professor Dan Gazit from the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The licensed technology includes a biologically compatible, oxygenated gel that improves bone regeneration and fusion of bone grafts. The novel technology will be used in conjunction with TheraCell's proprietary scaffold technology for enhancing the efficiency of spinal fusion procedures. The combined product is recognized as a medical device, enabling an expedited regulatory pathway.
"The novel technology invented by Prof. Gazit and his team is another example of the innovative and creative research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem," said Yehuda Yarmut, Deputy CEO of Yissum. "The ability to ensure adequate oxygen levels for cells can help not only with bone healing and bone stem cells, but also holds great promise for other stem cells, as well as for the survival of engineered tissue and organ grafts."
Spinal fusion is a surgical technique used to immobilize two or more vertebrae, usually in order to eliminate the pain caused by abnormal motion of the vertebrae. The procedure relies on a graft of bone tissue in conjunction with the body's natural ability to grow new bone tissue. The current treatment requires the harvest of substantial amounts of autologous bone, while the oxygenated gel will significantly reduce the required bone harvest, accelerate and improve fusion success rate.
Professor Gazit's invention includes a special scaffold with a particularly high oxygen-carrying capacity, which aims to increase fusion rates by increasing local oxygenation at the surgical site. Scaffolds derived from this technology will act to improve oxygenation and encourage the activity of stem cells and bone-forming cells, or osteoblasts. In preclinical experiments in rodents, accelerated spinal fusion and bone fracture healing were observed, as well as improved stem cell survival.
In addition, the licensing agreement includes efficient methods for purifying and manipulating stem cells derived from patients. These methods for deriving autologous stem cells, also invented by Prof. Gazit's team, will be further developed and used by TheraCell in combination with a future, injectable or transplantable version of the scaffold that will enable an injectable therapy for spine disorders.
Furthermore, TheraCell aims to develop a revolutionary point-of-care device for isolating and processing stem cells based on the Gazit’s inventions. This "portable lab" will facilitate broad use of the injectable or transplantable, stem cell containing oxygenated gel.
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