Recombinetics today announced a multi-project, collaborative research and development agreement with Mayo Clinic to advance capabilities to bioengineer human stem cells within swine models. The collaboration is focused on utilizing human stem cells to produce human tissue products in a surrogate pig for exo-transplantation back into humans. These regenerative stem cell therapies aim to provide better health outcomes for patients by delaying the need for a transplant and reducing other complications including rejection and related cancers.
The collaboration brings together proprietary technologies including customized biomedical swine from Recombinetics’ regenerative medicine division, Regenevida, and quality control processes and high-quality stem cells from ReGen Theranostics. Project leads are Dr. Timothy Nelson, M.D., Ph.D. from Mayo Clinic and Dan Carlson, Ph.D., Recombinetics’ Senior Vice President of Research and Development.
“Today, only a small percentage of individuals requiring a transplant are matched with the right donor and those transplant recipients often face a life of anti-rejection drugs that come with serious side effects. With Mayo Clinic, we are working to create an abundant supply of patient-specific cellular products and reduce patient complications associated with organ tissue rejection,” says Tammy Lee, President and CEO of Recombinetics.
Carlson added, “Recombinetics’ gene-editing expertise in creating customized, surrogate pigs for humanized disease and tissue transplant models will provide the necessary environment to grow safe and transplantable tissues for human use. By working with Dr. Nelson and the innovative team at Mayo Clinic, we can co-develop a state-of-the-art pig production system for human tissue exo-transplantation.”
“Creating tissues using stem cells is an engineering problem. We have the technology; we have the vision; we have the unmet needs. We are pleased to collaborate with Recombinetics on this ground-breaking work,” said Dr. Nelson.
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