Hereditary pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (herPAP) is a rare life-threatening disease characterized by the slow accumulation of lipoproteins in the lungs. Surfactant and other lipoproteins are typically cleared from alveoli by a specialized group of cells called alveolar macrophages that require the signaling molecule termed granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating growth factor (GM-CSF) to maintain normal surfactant levels.
A daunting challenge that faces tissue engineering is the requirement to generate perfused microvasculature networks capable of delivering nutrients to and removing waste from tissues. This engineered circulatory system is critical to supporting tissue survival. Vascularization is particularly important for the production of bioengineered lungs, which requires coordination of the circulatory and respiratory systems to
The 11th annual Business of Regenerative Medicine: Innovation, Clinical Translation, and Entrepreneurship Symposium took place on July 17th-18th. The event was hosted by the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies and the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in partnership with Case Western Reserve University, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, the Parker H. Petit
Tumor supportive M2-type macrophages generally prevail over their tumoricidal M1 counterparts in the tumor environment. It follows that efforts have been undertaken to either deplete M2-like cells or convert the macrophage phenotype into M1-like cells. M1- and M2-like polarization states differ in cell morphology and this divergence can be leveraged to individuate drugs that efficiently
The recent EMA recommendation for approval of Kymriah and Yescarta serves as yet another sign of the commercial arrival of cell therapies and their growing global appeal. As these novel therapeutics expand beyond US boundaries, Akron has taken the following steps to help our clients better understand the regional regulatory differences, innovations and tools available
Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) significantly enhance the anti-tumor activity of immune effector cells. Current CAR-based immunotherapies leverage engineered versions of a patient’s own T-cells to target and kill cancer cells. Recently, a study led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and University of Minnesota demonstrated that similarly modified CAR constructs
Organ transplantation remains the only treatment for patients with advanced liver injury. Globally, the limited number of donors fails to meet the demand, making it necessary to develop alternative therapies. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) stimulate the proliferation of hepatocyte progenitors and reduce hepatic fibrosis in mouse models of liver damage. Thus, macrophages appear a valuable
One of the central challenges facing the regenerative medicine industry today is developing the workforce necessary to produce and commercialize advanced therapies and engineered tissues. The industry needs a well-trained workforce to grow; however, it is difficult to develop a workforce for an emerging industry which has yet to achieve the scale necessary to employ
The number of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) currently in clinical trials exceeds sixty, reflecting the therapeutic interest of this class of formulations. ADCs are designed to bind to an internalizing cancer cell receptor leading to uptake of the ADC and subsequent intracellular release of the drug by enzymes, thiols or lysosomal pH. While particularly efficient for
T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T) are particularly promising for the treatment of refractory cancers. While Kymriah and Yescarta are FDA-approved for B-cell malignancies, safety and efficacy concerns remain across the cell therapy industry. Severe cytokine release syndrome triggered by T cell infusion is one of the urgent CAR T related downsides that needs
