Hematopoietic stem cell culture method

Health care, Life sciences

UNMET NEED

hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is currently the cornerstone for the treatment of cancer and a handful of hematologic diseases. The presence of sufficient short-term repopulating activity (stemming from progenitors and primitive HSC) is of paramount importance for the survival of the patient. This short-term repopulating activity is responsible for the rapid increase of polymorphonuclear and platelets which are crucial after transplantation.

In many diseases affecting blood cell lineages, the number of HSCs that can be obtained from a patient is very limited in number. Current ex vivo stem cell expansion methods are associated with the loss of short-term repopulating activity of cultured cells and the expansion of aberrant long-term repopulating cells with poor contribution to the peripheral immune reconstitution.

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

Dr. Haddad and his research group have developed a novel culture method for the ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and/or hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) obtained from donor bone marrow, umbilical cord blood or peripheral blood. They have identified optimal culture conditions that allow for appropriate metabolic conditions absolutely required for the preservation of essential engraftment properties for both short-term and long-term repopulations. They have found two pharmacological targets which, when combined with cytokines/growth factors and small molecules in properly supplemented serum free medium, are able to elicit a significant increase in the engraftment outcomes.

Using a model of humanized mice, they have shown that their innovative culture method was able to expand primitive subsets of HSCs with significantly improved engraftment kinetics and behaviors in vivo

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

Ex vivo expansion of HSC and HPC with improved engraftment properties
Amplified HSC with improved engraftment kinetics and behavior
Expansion of primitive HSC

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Technology available for in-licensing
Looking for research partnering or industrial co-development partner
Looking for investment
Eligibility to Quebec government financing for industry/academic maturation program

MARKET APPLICATIONS

Ex vivo human hematopoietic stem cell expansion
Human hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Cell or gene therapy

IP PROTECTION

PCT patent application

CONTACTS

Elie Haddad

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Professor, CHU Sainte-Justine
Department of Pediatrics,
Faculty of Medicine,
University of Montreal

Benoit Doré

CONTACT
Director, Business Development
438-494-3961
benoit.dore@axelys.ca