Project description
Towards a new cell therapy for muscular dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an incurable disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. The scope of the EU-funded UniMab project is to develop a cell therapy for DMD based on the transplantation of blood vessel-derived progenitor cells known as mesoangioblasts. With genome editing, these cells will gain the ability to escape immune surveillance and express a small nuclear RNA (snRNA) that causes skipping of a given exon of the dystrophin gene. This will enable these cells to differentiate into dystrophin-expressing myofibers after transplantation and to correct the genetic defect in neighbouring nuclei of the multi-nucleated muscle fibre. The indefinite expansion of these cells in culture under specific conditions will guarantee an affordable off-the-shelf therapeutic product for DMD.
Objective
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating incurable disease, affecting thousands with heavy burden on health systems. This project combines the development of a safe, immune-privileged cell with genetic engineering to correct many dystrophin gene mutations for an efficacious and cost affordable therapy. The applicant pioneered systemic intra-arterial transplantation of mesoangioblasts (blood vessel-derived progenitors) that proved safe in DMD patients and is being implemented for efficacy. However, this personalised approach would prove prohibitively expensive for healthcare systems, as pricing of successful gene therapies is showing. We made the striking observation that human mesoangioblasts can be indefinitely expanded with a novel culture medium, even after genetic manipulation and cloning. Cells will be first genome edited to delete endogenous HLA (2-microglubin and class II CTA) while inserting tolerogenic HLA-E, fused to 2-microglubin and, as safety device, the Herpes Simplex Thymidine Kinase suicide gene with truncated NGF receptor for selection. Edited clones will be checked for genome integrity. Selected clones will be engineered to express a small nuclear RNA (snRNA) that causes skipping of a given exon of the dystrophin gene. Due to the syncytial nature of muscle fibres, the snRNA also enters and corrects the genetic defect in neighbouring, dystrophic nuclei, thus amplifying of one log the therapeutic effect. Five different cell lines would correct the mutation in 60% of DMD patients. The cell lines will be transplanted in humanized DMD mice and assessed for the ability to escape immune surveillance and to differentiate in dystrophin expressing myofibers, establishing pre-clinical safety and efficacy for an off the shelf, affordable product. The applicant has unique expertise to successfully complete this project, whose strategy may be expanded to other recessive monogenic diseases, for a ground breaking impact in regenerative medicine.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2019-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
20132 Milano
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.