Short Summary: RoosterBio, Inc. and Sistemic have entered into an agreement to synergistically develop microRNA (miRNA)-based cell characterization technologies that will create more precise and relevant characterization panels for human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) products and in process cell banks.
On June 1, 2015, Sistemic Ltd. and RoosterBio Inc. announced they had entered into a commercial agreement whereby both companies will combine their technologies and work synergistically towards advancing the field of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (hMSC) regenerative technology.
Specifically, RoosterBio and Sistemic will collaborate on utilizing microRNA (miRNA)-based cell characterization workflows and technologies to build more precise and relevant characterization panels for hMSC products and in process cell banks. The collaboration will also further the identification of microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers across a wide range of donors predictive of human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) performance based on a matrix of biological functions and outcomes of interest.
Both companies intend to offer their customers’ access to the each other’s technology platforms to enhance the quality, performance, and therapeutic knowledge of MSC technology. The long-term goal of the collaboration will be to eliminate the functional variability that is inherent in current hMSC products and drive the evolution of stem cells from an emerging science into a robust, reproducible technology.
Since the initial identification and characterization of MSCs by Friedenstein and his colleagues in 1974, the understanding of MSC biology, function and therapeutic applicability has come a long way, with hMSCs currently being the most commonly used stem cell type for clinical applications. To date, it has been shown that MSCs exist and can be isolated from almost every human tissue, possess the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple lineages, and exhibit immense therapeutic potential, with tissue regeneration, wound healing and immune system modulation capabilities as examples.
Nevertheless, hMSCs are also rare, prone to senescence upon extended culture, exhibit variable potency and show wide donor to donor variability. Both RoosterBio and Sistemic recognize the significance of these challenges and are fully committed to developing solutions that will enable the full therapeutic potential and wide spread commercial use of hMSC technology.
Dr. Daria Olijnyk, Senior Scientist and Business Development Associate of Sistemic said, “Sistemic, as a leading provider of miRNA-based tools for cell characterization and quality control of cell therapy products, has a detailed understanding of the field of MSC characterization and is fully committed to utilizing its expertise to provide innovative solutions to accelerate and optimize the clinical translation and cost-effective use of MSCs. We believe that working towards a common goal and combining our complementary expertise will accelerate the development of well characterized, easily scalable and highly potent MSC products.”
Furthermore, combining Sistemic’s informatics capabilities and extensive knowledge base about existing MSCs will position both companies to combine their strengths to understand, and potentially overcome, donor-to-donor variability. Up to this point in time, this has been a significant industry challenge.
Jon Rowley, Chief Executive and Technology Officer of RoosterBio, said, “Collaborating with Sistemic is an example of a true “1+1 = 3” scenario. Thorough characterization of hMSC products and cell banks is central to crating a stable, robust technology that can be simply and affordably deployed across a range of applications – from cell therapies to 3D bioprinting. RoosterBio’s rich library of hMSC donors married with Sistemic’s miRNA characterization platform will provide both predictive biomarkers and critical quality attributes that will allow MSC technology to reach its full potential, sooner.”
The collaboration, while innovative in nature, is also being driven by commercial interest to serve an underserved market need. Both Sistemic and RoosterBio have served customers seeking continually greater hMSC characterization, and now will be positioned to collaboratively support this effort. Finally, the collaboration will aim to accelerate the development and commercial potential of regenerative medicine products.
About Sistemic
Sistemic’s primary business is focused on providing innovative microRNA-based problem-solving services and kit-based products to areas of unmet need within Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and the Cell Therapy research, development and manufacture markets. MicroRNAs are seen as the master controllers of a cell and as such Sistemic believe that they are providing instructive information on effects on a whole cell or organism rather than an isolated pathway. This system approach means that the data produced is more indicative of the biology and more diagnostic of actual effect. Sistemic has a worldwide customer base and a strong intellectual property portfolio.
About RoosterBio
RoosterBio is a privately held biofabrication technology and products company focused on accelerating the development of a sustainable regenerative medicine industry, one customer at a time. RoosterBio’s products are high volume, affordable, and well-characterized adult human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs) paired with highly engineered media systems. RoosterBio has simplified and standardized how stem cells are purchased, expanded, and used in development, leading to marked time and costs savings for customers. RoosterBio’s innovative products are ushering in a new era of productivity and standardization into the field. For more information on RoosterBio and adult stem cells, visit http://www.roosterbio.com.
Author: This post was written by Jon Rowley, Chief Executive and Technology Officer of RoosterBio. Jon launched RoosterBio, Inc. as the next step in his personal quest to effect the greatest possible impact on the commercial translation of cell-based technologies.