Positive Data from Cynata MSCs in Second Preclinical Asthma Study
• Clear efficacy data for Cynata’s proprietary Cymerus™ MSCs in second preclinical study in a
clinically-relevant model of asthma
• Cymerus MSCs caused significantly greater reduction of airway hyperresponsiveness
compared to corticosteroid treatment
• Data suggest Cymerus MSCs can be administered alone or in combination with corticosteroids
to treat the airway hyperresponsiveness associated with asthma
• Completion of this study will further advance the path towards clinical trials
Melbourne, Australia; 23 August 2017: Australian stem cell and regenerative medicine company, Cynata Therapeutics Limited (ASX: CYP), is pleased to announce further highly promising data supporting the efficacy of its proprietary Cymerus™ mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in a second preclinical asthma study.
The study was conducted under the supervision of Associate Professor Samel and Dr Simon Royce of the Monash Lung Biology Network, 1 focusing on the effects of CymerusTM MSCs in combination with or in comparison to the corticosteroid dexamethasone, which is commonly used to treat exacerbations of asthma in human patients. The study used a well-established mouse model of chronic allergic airways disease that closely resembles asthma in humans. This part of the study focused onairway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), which is a key clinical manifestation of asthma.Initial results from this study have demonstrated that, as expected, treatment with dexamethasonealone significantly improved AHR compared to untreated controls (p<0.05). However, treatment with either Cymerus™ MSCs alone, or Cymerus™ MSCs in combination with dexamethasone, resulted in a substantially greater suppression of AHR, which was significantly superior to that seen with
dexamethasone treatment alone (p<0.01). All treatments were administered by the intranasal (IN) route.
These exciting results lead on from a previously-reported study (announced 2 March 2017), which found that both intravenous (IV) and IN administration of Cymerus™ MSCs caused statistically significant improvements in the three main features (airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation and airway remodelling) of asthma in this model. Furthermore, IN delivery of Cymerus™ MSCs completely reversed pathologic collagen deposition (a sign of airway remodelling/fibrosis).2 Of note, studies by
the same group have found that other types of stem cells did not have similar effects to IN Cymerus™ MSCs in this model, unless used in combination with other drugs. “It is very striking that Cymerus™ MSCs, whether alone or in combination with dexamethasone, had a significantly greater effect on decreasing AHR in this model than dexamethasone alone. We are now conducting further analyses on the effects of these cells on other features of the disease process
including inflammation and airway remodelling,” said Associate Professor Samuel. “These findings raise the possibility that Cymerus™ MSCs may have superior efficacy to corticosteroids in some asthma patients, in addition to offering a way to treat this condition without the side-effects and/or resistance associated with steroid therapy,” said Dr Kilian Kelly, Cynata’s Vice President,
Product Development. “Furthermore, it was important to show that Cymerus™ MSCs can be administered in combination with corticosteroids, especially in the context of initial clinical trials, in which most patients are likely to be undergoing corticosteroid treatment at the time of enrolment.”
