Newsletter February 2022 – A big start to a big year for Cline
The Cline Scientific team is excited to bring you the first newsletter of 2022 and share the current projects and upcoming activities. This quarter marks a significant milestone for the StemCART project, with the first stage of ex-vivo testing now underway.
StemCART
Cline’s cell-based therapy in development, StemCART, aims to repair cartilage damage through a unique combination of allogeneic induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived chondrocytes and a support matrix. The creation of these reparative cells is made possible by Cline’s proprietary nanotechnology that enables the directed and precise differentiation of stem cells. The StemCART product has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of joint disease such as osteoarthritis, which affects millions of patients worldwide who are living with pain and reduced mobility. A short update about the project is presented below.
Exvivo testing begins paving the path forward for StemCART
In January 2022, Cline received clearance from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority for the collection of human cartilage tissue. With the help of collaborating orthopedic surgeons, Cline is able to receive routinely removed cartilage material from surgical procedures. Testing of StemCART on the first set of patient samples began in January.
Cline aims to show that Cline’s patented nanotechnology and unique method successfully differentiate induced pluripotent stem cells into functional chondrocyte cells and show the cells can induce healing of injured cartilage tissue. These experiments will give Cline essential knowledge and validation of the cells and the supporting matrix.
This project is a significant step towards Cline reaching the end of the development stage of the StemCART product. Following the ex-vivo testing, Cline will progress to the next steps in preparing to bring StemCART into production, carry out the necessary preclinical studies, and attain approval to start in-human clinical trials.
Bolstering the StemCART board of advisors
This month, Cline welcomed Professor Emeritus Lars Peterson as a new advisor to the StemCART project and further strengthens the board of advisors. Lars Peterson has pioneered the field of orthopedics and sports medicine and has been a leading figure worldwide. Together with fellow Cline advisor Mats Brittberg, he was responsible for introducing the autologous chondrocyte transplantation procedure to repair articular cartilage. He has extensive knowledge of the field, having published more than 200 articles, reviews, and book chapters.
For Cline, a strong board of advisors is essential to ensuring the successful development of the StemCART project. The advisors have already been incredibly valuable to Cline in providing crucial clinical insight, experience in driving innovation into the healthcare system and helping enable the ex-vivo testing of StemCART product.
Cell quality in focus
In October 2021, Cline communicated a project to develop methods to test cell viability within the various stages of the cells’ development. This project served as a preparation for the ex-vivo testing to ensure cell viability throughout the cell handling and production process.
The results gives the Cline team a straightforward, rigorous, and quantifiable way to monitor the produced cells’ quality continually and study the effects of different methods and compositions. This work will not only be of use in the current ex-vivo testing but contributes to Cline’s quality control methods, an essential component of commercializing a cell-based therapy like the StemCART project.
V.A. Cure
Collaboration with AstraZeneca extended
Since 2021, Cline Scientific AB has been part of a collaboration with AstraZeneca to utilize Cline’s gradient technology as part of the multi-country European MSCA-ITN network, V.A Cure project. The parties have now agreed to continue this collaboration through 2022.
The project utilizes Cline’s gradient surface technology and methodology to develop protocols for the differentiation of iPS cells into cell types relevant to vascular disease. This is important for Cline as this would validate our technology and methods in a different cell type and therapeutical area.
This coming year will be the most exciting year to date for us at Cline, and we look forward to continuing to share more updates in future newsletters!
Warmest regards,
The Cline Team
Click here to subscribe to future newsletters and press releases.
https://news.cision.com/cline/SubscriptionRegistrationDialog
Cline Scientific AB (publ) Phone: 031-387 55 55
Argongatan 2 C Email: info@clinescientific.com
431 53 MÖLNDAL Website: www.clinescientific.com
About Cline Scientific
Cline Scientific develops advanced cancer diagnostics and regenerative medicine treatments. The company is working heavily with R&D through joint collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and academic researchers around the world. The focus is on projects in the cancer diagnostic and stem cell therapy fields since Clines nanotechnology here provides unmet solutions to critical challenges and functions. The unique patented surface nanotechnology is used in cell-based products and processes to drive projects within Life Science into and through the clinical phase.