Do human induced oligodendrocyte precursor cells myelinate? - Feasibility for cell therapy

Expectations are increasing for regenerative medicine to address unmet clinical needs of devastating neurological diseases. Especially promising data are emerging from a US company’s pioneering clinical trial for patients with spinal cord injury in which human oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are transplanted into the spinal cord. A major drawback of the existing approach, however, is the long and complex directed differentiation protocol required to produce human OPCs. Elpis BioMed’s core technology provides an alternative approach enabling highly efficient production of OPCs in a single step. Our cellular reprogramming technology is not only faster but also safer than conventional protocols as it should eliminate the possibility of tumour formation. Elpis BioMed Ltd’s main objectives are to provide cells for drug discovery and toxicology and for therapeutic use in chronic neurological conditions. The present application proposes to test I. technical feasibility of using our OPC cell product as a cell therapy in a preclinical model. II. commercial feasibility by evaluating the market opportunity and costs, and III. regulatory feasibility by engaging with relevant regulatory bodies and establishing the preclinical requirements that need to be met in order to advance our product into a cell therapy.