TORONTO, April 21, 2020 /CNW/ -Toronto-based panCELLa and CCRM have executed a collaboration agreement using novel technology to generate commercial-use and clinical-grade iPSC lines which will be made available to academia and industry to enable the development of new therapies.
"panCELLa is an innovative company and a key partner in our local ecosystem. We're pleased to support their efforts to develop novel engineered cell lines that will enable multiple indications representing significant unmet needs," says Michael May, President and CEO of CCRM. "This collaboration will also support other companies in our network, as CCRM and panCELLa will work together to make these high-quality cGMP lines available to the global biotechnology community."
panCELLa, an early stage biotechnology company spun out of research conducted at the Sinai Health System in Toronto, will produce novel versions of the lines that are engineered for safety, and the ability to evade the immune system. CCRM, a leader in developing and commercializing regenerative medicine-based technologies and cell and gene therapies, will develop master cell banks in the Centre for Cell and Vector Production (CCVP), a cGMP facility that CCRM operates with the University Health Network. panCELLa and CCRM will both have the option to license these lines out to academic and industry partners interested in working with clinical grade iPSCs.
Dr. Andras Nagy, a co-founder of panCELLa stated: "The long-standing support and commitment of CCRM to our technology was a critical component to our success in raising funds. This has enabled panCELLa to advance its platforms, making them more widely available to the regenerative medicine market. We look forward to continuing this fruitful relationship."
Bringing together the expertise of both parties with a state-of-the-art processing facility will make this work possible. CCVP is the largest cGMP facility in Toronto focused exclusively on manufacturing cells and viral vectors for Phase I/II clinical trials. With 10 class B clean rooms, it is designed to be Health Canada, USFDA and EMA compliant.
About panCELLa Inc.
Founded in 2015, panCELLa is a privately-held early-stage biotechnology firm based on the innovative technology developed in Dr. Andras Nagy's lab at the Sinai Health System (SHS). panCELLa has created platforms that allow for the development of safe, universal, cost-effective, "off-the-shelf" therapeutic cells and their source cell lines. panCELLa's mandate is to accelerate cell-based therapies to a broad range of diseases by providing safe therapeutic cell products. panCELLa has secured partnerships with several biotechnology partners to enhance its patent position and provide expanded access to its exclusive FailSafeTM and Stealth CellsTM and its in-licensed SAFE harbor technology. panCELLa aims to develop therapeutic products in the immunology, mesenchymal stromal cell and pancreatic islet space and to partner with other companies to develop novel products in other areas of regenerative medicine. panCELLa continues its internal R&D efforts to develop additional novel uses of its platform technologies in areas such as bio-production, cancer vaccination and tolerization. To learn more about panCELLa's FailSafeTM and induced Allogeneic Cell Tolerance, please visit https://pancella.com
About CCRM
CCRM, a Canadian not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and leading academic and industry partners, supports the development of regenerative medicines and associated enabling technologies, with a specific focus on cell and gene therapy. A network of researchers, leading companies, strategic investors and entrepreneurs, CCRM accelerates the translation of scientific discovery into new companies and marketable products for patients, with specialized teams, funding and infrastructure. CCRM is the commercialization partner of the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the University of Toronto's Medicine by Design. CCRM is hosted by the University of Toronto. Visit us at ccrm.ca.
SOURCE panCELLa Inc.
For further information: Lisa Schummer, Operations Manager, panCELLa, lisa@pancella.com, 647-276-0088; Stacey Johnson, Director, Communications and Marketing, CCRM, stacey.johnson@ccrm.ca, 647-309-1830