Project description
An ex vivo cell expansion therapy for heart attack
Myocardial infarction, also known as heart attack, occurs when the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen due to decreased blood flow. This leads to damage of the cardiac muscle, and depending on the extent of the injury, it may cause heart failure. The EU-funded EuroXpand project aims to improve heart remodelling following infarction using a regenerative medicine approach. The team has developed an autologous haematopoietic approach based on stem cells that improves cardiac function following infusion. The cells are expanded ex vivo under standardised conditions, using an in-house designed and patented bioproduction platform, to meet quality and reproducibility criteria at a reduced cost.
Objective
Heart failure (HF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains the first cause of death in developed countries, above cancer, with a life expectancy less than 5 years. With an overall cost of 83 billion euros per year worldwide , HF represents a global public-health issue. Treatments following AMI are still characterised by burdensome surgical procedures and post-operative treatments which both fail to prevent HF development.
In this context, CellProthera, founded in 2008, developed an innovative technology based on the discoveries of its founder, Pr. Hénon, who has worked on stem cells for more than 35 years. Unlike its competitors, CellProthera has already demonstrated the efficacy and the safety of its cell therapy, thanks to a successful Proof of Concept study. The clinical outcomes indicated an excellent safety profile associated with an outstanding long-term recovery of the cardiac function, facilitating socio-professional reinsertion.
The process used during the pilot phase could not be patented nor industrialised, limiting its availability to all patients. Hence, Cellprothera has developed a patented cell expansion automate StemXpand®, combined with StemPack® Kit creating an innovative business model, and a new cell therapy process less invasive, more affordable, and decreasing health costs related to HF in the order of 50 to 75%.
With the efficacy demonstration of the new process through EuroXpand project, Cellprothera’s cell therapy could become the reference treatment to prevent HF after AMI. This way, CellProthera will be in possession of all the assets required to achieve a leader position in HF prevention, after AMI. Indeed, with a potential of millions patients / year worldwide, Cellprothera’s total turnover is expected to reach 2,7 billion euros in 2030, associated to the creation of at least 70 direct jobs by 2027 and several thousands of indirect jobs, particularly in Cell Therapy Centres.
Fields of science
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementbusiness models
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinesurgerysurgical procedures
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncology
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinecardiology
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
68100 MULHOUSE
France
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.