Methods of Inducing Differentiation In Stem Cells, Methods of Generating Tissue Using Scaffold Matrices Derived from Micro-Organs and Stem Cells, Methods of Producing Adult Stem Cells and Method S of Continuously Generating Stem Cells By Implantation

Improved methods for culturing tissue and stem cells

• All epithelial tissues in nature interact with an extracellular matrix. In spite of this, traditional cell culture is carried out on monolayers in plastic and does not take into account the interrelationships of other cells in tissue
• These new methods use novel 3D organ-specific matrices as a more natural environment to culture all types of cells and to manipulate stem cells into specific organs

Our Innovation

• Broad platform technology using three-dimensional, organ-specific matrices for growing different types of cells, including stem cells, ex vivo
• Organ-specific matrices induce stem cells to differentiate into required organ
• Isolation of specific stem cells from a mixture of early-differentiating stem cells through their their binding affinities to organ-specific matrix regions

Key Features

• Matrix is specific for any type of organ; encourages stem cells to differentiate into pathways normally followed by cells of that specific organ
• Method for preparing engineered organs to be used in vitro or for transplantation  in vivo.
• Can use adult or embryonic stem cells to generate organized engineered tissue
• Development Milestones
• Lung: only in vitro system capable of secreting surfactant proteins. Next step is to use and test for lung toxicological applications.
• Diabetes type I: Next step is to treat diabetic animals with engineered pancreatic tissue.

The Opportunity

• Potential products include: 1. Preparation of lung, liver and skin engineered tissue for toxicity analysis to replace animal experimentation. 2. Engineered liver tissue using human hepatocytes for research on HBV, HCV, HDV disease. 3. Engineered pancreatic tissue for transplantation in type I diabetic patients. Estimated market is worth at least $50 billion worldwide.

project-id 6-2006-38

Patent published in Europe, allowed in United States, filed in Israel
PCT publication number: WO 03/060062