Optimisation of human iPS cell-derived platelet manufacture

Platelets are an essential component of blood, involved in homeostasis, clotting and wound healing. Certain medical treatments (esp. chemotherapy) cause a severe reduction in platelet count leading to uncontrolled bleeding. This can be treated with transfusions of platelets isolated from donor blood, but in approximately 15% of patients, repeated challenge with platelets from other donors causes an immune response, leading to 'alloimmune platelet refractoriness' which is costly to treat and life threatening. We have developed a method of producing platelets from stem cells (which can be made from the patient's own cells) and wish to develop this as therapy for low platelet count due to alloimmune refractoriness. This project is to scope the feasibility of upscaling the manufacturing process and reduce costs by up to 500-fold though process optimisation and use of proprietary small molecules that specifically modulate hematopoiesis and improve efficiency.