Melbourne, Australia; 18 June 2018: Australian stem cell and regenerative medicine company Cynata Therapeutics Limited (ASX: CYP) is pleased to announce that it has commenced a preclinical research collaboration with UNSW Sydney (the University of New South Wales) for the development of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapies based on its Cymerus™ technology platform for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD).
CAD involves a narrowing of the coronary arteries due to a build-up of fatty deposits (plaque), also known as atherosclerosis, which reduces blood flow to the heart. Under the terms of the collaboration, UNSW will develop methods for activating Cynata’s Cymerus MSCs using novel cell culture materials, with the goal of enhancing their potential to stimulate new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and improve blood supply to the heart in patients with CAD. The research will be led by Dr Kristopher Kilian, Scientia Fellow at the UNSW School of Chemistry and School of Materials Science and Engineering.
Cynata and UNSW have entered into a 50/50 cost-sharing agreement to fund initial preclinical research and product development at UNSW, with both parties providing in-kind and matching cash contributions. UNSW will fund the project as part of its Science Industry Network Seed Fund 2018.
Dr Kilian said, “The use of designer cell culture materials to customise the therapeutic properties of MSCs holds great promise for specialised medical applications, including the treatment of CAD, which is the cause of most heart attacks and roughly one-third of all deaths in people over the age of 35 in developed countries. 1 We believe Cynata’s Cymerus technology offers several important advantages for the production of consistent and efficacious therapeutic MSCs, and look forward to applying the platform in our research to improve treatment options in CAD.”
Dr Kilian Kelly, Cynata’s Vice President of Product Development, said, “This collaboration will focus on the development of customised MSCs that address CAD before a heart attack occurs, which complements our ongoing preclinical research program evaluating Cymerus MSCs as a treatment for heart attack. Dr Kilian is an accomplished scientist and engineer who, along with his team at UNSW, has developed novel technology focused on the application of cell culture materials. We look forward to working with Dr Kilian and UNSW on this exciting collaboration, with the goal of rapidly progressing the research into the clinic.”
CONTACTS:
Dr Ross Macdonald, CEO, Cynata Therapeutics, +61 (0)412 119343, ross.macdonald@cynata.com
Daniel Paproth, Australia Media Contact, +61 (0)421 858 982, daniel.paproth@mcpartners.com.au
Laura Bagby, U.S. Media Contact, 312-448-8098, lbagby@6degreespr.com
About UNSW Sydney (the University of New South Wales)
Established in 1949 with a unique focus on the scientific, technological and professional disciplines, UNSW is a leading Australian university committed to making a difference through pioneering research and preparing the next generation of talented global citizens for career success.
UNSW has a proud tradition of sustained innovation, focusing on areas critical to our future – from climate change and renewable energies to lifesaving medical treatments and breakthrough technologies. In the social sciences, UNSW research informs policy and expert commentary in key issues facing society ranging from human rights and constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians to public health and population ageing.
UNSW offers an extensive range of undergraduate, postgraduate and research programs. It attracts talented students from across Australia and around the world. Its 50,000-plus students come from 128 countries, making it one of Australia’s most cosmopolitan universities. Its emphasis on quality continues to push up entry standards with record demand from the State’s top school leavers.
The main UNSW campus is located on a 38 hectare site at Kensington, seven kilometres from the centre of Sydney. Other major campuses are Art & Design in Paddington and UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
About Cynata Therapeutics (ASX: CYP)
Cynata Therapeutics Limited (ASX: CYP) is an Australian clinical-stage stem cell and regenerative medicine company that is developing a therapeutic stem cell platform technology, Cymerus™, originating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a world leader in stem cell research. The proprietary Cymerus technology addresses a critical shortcoming in existing methods of production of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for therapeutic use, which is the ability to achieve economic manufacture at commercial scale. Cymerus utilises induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to produce a particular type of MSC precursor, called a mesenchymoangioblast (MCA). Cymerus provides a source of MSCs that is independent of donor limitations and an “off-the-shelf” stem cell platform for therapeutic product use, with a pharmaceutical product business model and economies of scale. This has the potential to create a new standard in the emergent arena of stem cell therapeutics, and provides both a unique differentiator and an important competitive position.
