With the news that the first “mini-organs” have been grown using human stem cells, this field of future biomedicine is clearly accelerating by leaps and bounds. However, harvesting stem cells is controversial, as the primary method involves harvesting stem cells during pregnancy. Now, a Swedish startup has raised VC investment to launch a new process to generate stem cells (from bone marrow donated by adult volunteers). These stem cells have been hailed as an innovative tool to alleviate and prevent a variety of medical conditions, and have reached industrial scale.
In an exclusive interview with TechCrunch, Stockholm-based Cellcolabs revealed that it has now raised $8.7 million, bringing its total funding since its founding in 2021 to $21.5 million.
To date, most stem cells have been harvested from adult stem cells or postpartum fetal tissue. Yesterday's news details how researchers at UCL and London's Great Ormond Street Hospital have extracted stem cells that have entered the amniotic fluid that surrounds children in the womb and protects them during pregnancy. did.
However, for obvious reasons, regulations limit when these fetal samples can be obtained. In countries like the United States, fetal sampling is actually completely illegal.
The clinical-stage biotech startup has raised funding from a number of investors, including Swedish investors Fredrik Osterberg and Jens von Bahr (Osterberg founded the online operator in 2006). He co-founded Evolution AB, which sells casino solutions, with Mr. von Bahr). Previous investors include Norsken Launcher, Avito founders Jonas Nordlander and Filip Engelbert. The funds will be used to expand research and development, operations and business development.
Cellcolabs originates from the pioneering stem cell research of Professor Katharina Le Brun at Stockholm's world-famous Karolinska Institutet, best known for awarding the Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Founders Per Bortelson, Maria Ranka, and impact investor Norsken teamed up with Professor Le Blanc to establish Cellcollaborative and brought on medically trained Matthias Burnou as CEO.
Cellcolabs specializes in rare and expensive mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). According to a statement from the company, these are a type of stem cell with anti-inflammatory, regenerative, and immunomodulatory properties that “promote the healing of damaged tissue and provide immune support that reduces inflammation, which is the root cause of many diseases.” It is possible to “regulate the response.” Mesenchymal stem cells are also used in the field of longevity, as inflammation contributes to aging.
Cellcolabs claims that its process of harvesting cells from the bone marrow of healthy volunteer donors has the potential to reduce the price of MSCs by up to 90% within the next decade through large-scale production.
In an interview with TechCrunch, Bernau said: What's really interesting to me as a doctor, of course, is whether we can use cells to prevent disease. I think in many cases we can reduce the burden of disease to some extent. ”
“What we are serious about is making cells available. MSCs are very expensive and very difficult to obtain. I was given the opportunity to collaborate with one of my professors, which in a way is a privilege and a blessing.”
Burnough said the company has no competitors to his knowledge, at least on an industrial scale. However, he acknowledged that “it is very difficult to know what the Chinese are doing in this field.” French startup TreeFrog Therapeutics is also working on cell manufacturing, but its approach is to take cells from the skin or blood and “reprogram” them into stem cells. The company raised $75 million in September 2021.
“We have built what we believe to be one of the largest facilities in the world dedicated solely to the production of stem cells of this kind. We are just over 45 of us here in Stockholm. We have submitted an application to the Swedish FDA,” Bernau said.
“Anyone who is serious about doing good research and wanting to bring it to patients, we have a product to offer,” he added.
Investor Fredrik Esterberg said in a statement: With Professor Le Blanc's 25 years of research, the promising potential of mesenchymal stem cells in healthcare, and an outstanding team at his direction, Cellcolabs is well-positioned to revolutionize the field of stem cells and healthcare. ”