Cell-free biologic therapy demonstrates improved tissue recovery and function.
Study results published recently in Translational Stroke Research found extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human neural stem cells offered a positive therapeutic effect, demonstrating improved tissue and functional recovery in murine thromboembolic stroke models. Based in part on the study’s results ArunA Biomedical announced the launch of a new class of cell-free exosome biologics with the potential to treat neurodegenerative disease and other central nervous system disorders.
Director of the Regenerative Bioscience Center at the University of Georgia and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, Dr. Steven Stice, led the study in conjunction with Dr. Nasrul Hoda, a researcher from Augusta University.
Stice, who Co-founded ArunA Biomedical and is the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, explained that with some 12 years of “expertise in developing and providing neural stem cells to the world’s leading research organizations,” he and his colleagues have focused their effort on developing a new class of cell-free biologics therapies, which are intended for central nervous system and neurodegenerative disorders with few treatment options currently. “Buoyed by the results of this study and our additional pre-clinical models and internal in vitro studies,” concluded Stice, “we will rapidly move toward the clinic with a plan to initiate first-in-human studies in 2019.”
ArunA Biomedical evaluated neural stem cell (NSC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) for changes in infarct volume as well as sensorimotor function. Study results revealed that in middle-aged rodents the NSC EVs improved cellular, tissue and functional outcomes compared with MSC EVs, which were less effective.
According to ArunA Biomedical, “NSC EV mechanistically increased circulating regulatory T cell numbers, which are known to enhance remyelination in the injured brain.” The company explained that stem cell EV treatment has a positive effect on motor function, demonstrated by several tests including beam walk, instances of foot faults and strength evaluated by a hanging wire test. ArunA Biomedical said increased time with a novel object supported improved episodic memory formation in the subject rodents.