Cell therapy company Cartherics has announced a new licensing agreement with UniQuest, the University of Queensland’s commercialisation company, and the University of Sydney.
In parallel, Cartherics, The University of Queensland (UQ) and The University of Sydney have entered into a related agreement that provides access to one of Cartherics’ iPSC lines to develop iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases under a Medical Research Future Fund Stem Cell Mission grant.
This cardiac cellular therapy research is led by Professor James Chong at the University of Sydney and Professor Peter Gray at UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.
iPSC-CMs have the potential to regenerate damaged heart tissue, improving heart function and patient outcomes. Using scalable production techniques, iPSC-CMs are promising therapeutic approaches for various cardiac conditions, offering hope for more effective cardiovascular treatments.
Professor Chong said, "I am excited about this partnership progressing our stem cell derived heart muscle therapy for heart failure. A resultant clinical trial would be great for Australian patients and our stem cell science community.”
Professor Gray said, “The project involves an excellent collaboration between Cartherics, the team at AIBN who have developed a bioprocess for the scalable production of high quality cardiomyocytes, and Professor James Chong, a clinician and researcher who, with his team at University of Sydney, have developed large animal models of cardiovascular disease.”
Under the agreement, UniQuest and The University of Sydney have the exclusive right to the Cartherics’ IPSC line in cardiovascular diseases to commercialise the iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte products developed by the two universities. Cartherics also gains access to technology developed by the universities related to the propagation and characterisation of the iPSC line and cells derived from it for use outside the field of cardiovascular disease. A reciprocal revenue-sharing arrangement applies to products developed and commercialised from the iPSC line in the field of cardiovascular disease and to products outside the field, respectively.
Cartherics’ CEO, Professor Alan Trounson, added, “Cartherics is enthusiastic about the development of innovative cellular therapies for regenerative medicine and is pleased to have been able to provide access to one of our stem cell lines to allow UQ and The University of Sydney to advance their MRFF project.”