Disease Focus: Neurological Disorders
Human Neural Progenitors Secreting Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (CNS10-NPC-GDNF) for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Therapeutic Candidate or Device CNS10-NPC-GDNF – a neural progenitor cell secreting GDNF Indication ALS Therapeutic Mechanism This therapy will replace damaged astrocytes. The new astrocytes will release paracrine factors. As the cells have been modified to release GDNF they will also provide this factor to dying motor neurons. Unmet Medical Need There is no treatment […]
Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Neural Stem Cells for Severe Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Therapeutic Candidate or Device Human embryonic stem cell-derived neural stem cells. Indication Spinal cord injury Therapeutic Mechanism The proposed neural stem cell therapy will be transplanted into a spinal cord injury site, providing cell replacement and a new neuronal relay across the injury site in an effort to promote significant functional improvement. Unmet Medical Need […]
Pre-Clinical To Clinical Gene Therapy Development For CMT4J
Therapeutic Candidate or Device AAV9 Gene Therapy For An Ultra-Rare Disease Called CMT4J Indication CMT4J or the FIG4 Gene Therapeutic Mechanism Gene Therapy through an Intrathecal One-Time Injection Unmet Medical Need CMT4J is an ultra-rare disorder that presently lacks any available treatment options and represents an underserved orphan population. Project Objective Successful Filing of an […]
Manufacturing of AS-202, an Antisense oligonucleotides for a Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Therapeutic Candidate or Device AS-202, an antisense oligonucleotide Indication Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Therapeutic Mechanism AS-202 targets PIKFYVE, a lipid kinase. By inhibiting PIKFYVE activity, it induces exosomal secretion, which robustly clears misfolded proteins including C9ORF72 dipeptide repeat proteins (DPRs), TDP-43 and tau from neurons. Unmet Medical Need To date, therapeutic options for ALS have been […]
Development of a Gene Therapy for the Treatment of WWOX related epileptic encephalopathy (WOREE)
Therapeutic Candidate or Device MZ-9138 is an AAV9 gene therapy Indication WWOX-related epileptic encephalopathy Therapeutic Mechanism MZ-9138 delivered to the brain may transduce neurons to create functioning WWOX protein and ultimately improve the phenotype of patients with WOREE Unmet Medical Need WOREE is a severe epileptic disorder resulting in dramatically shortened survival of patients. There […]
Allogeneic iPSC derived Dopaminergic Drug Product for Parkinson’s disease
Therapeutic Candidate or Device Allogeneic iPSC derived dopamine progenitors delivered to the brain of Parkinson's disease patients Indication Idiopathic Parkinson's disease Therapeutic Mechanism The cellular product reconstitutes dopaminergic neuron circuits lost owing to the disease Unmet Medical Need There are currently disease modifying therapies. This approach is intended to be disease modifying. Project Objective To […]
Hematopoetic stem cell gene therapy for the treatment of Tay-Sachs disease
Therapeutic Candidate or Device Autologous hematopoietic stem cells transduced with a HexA/HexB expressing lentiviral vector Indication Tay-Sachs disease Therapeutic Mechanism The transplanted gene modified autologous hematopoietic stem cells will engraft in the bone marrow and start producing HexA/HexB expressing immune progeny. Microglia, which establish residence in the brain, will deliver functional beta-hexosaminidase enzyme to affected […]
Genome Editing of Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cells to Treat Severe Mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 (Hurler Syndrome)
Therapeutic Candidate or Device Autologous blood stem cells edited to restore iduronidase expression Indication Severe Mucopolysaccharidosis Type 1 (MPS1/ Hurler's syndrome) Therapeutic Mechanism Autologous blood stem cells undergo genome editing to restore the production of the missing enzyme. These cells are returned to the patient to replace their bone marrow, where they can secrete functional […]
Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cell Augmentation of Fetal Myelomeningocele Repair
Therapeutic Candidate or Device Allogeneic Placenta-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Seeded on Cook Biodesign® Dural Graft Extracellular Matrix (PMSC-ECM) Indication Myelomeningocele (MMC) -or Spina Bifida -diagnosed prenataly Therapeutic Mechanism Placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) act by a paracrine mechanism, secreting a variety of growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular vesicles. This secretory profile is unique to PMSCs […]
MRI Guided Delivery of Neural Progenitor Cells Secreting GDNF for the Treatment of Parkinson’s disease
Therapeutic Candidate or Device CNS10-NPC-GDNF is a neural progenitor cell line transfected with glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) Indication Mid-stage Parkinson's disease (UPDRS stage III or lower) Therapeutic Mechanism Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons that project from the substantia nigra to the striatum causes the primary motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. CNS10-NPC-GDNF cells will […]