CELLS for CELLS treats the first-ever patient with an exosome-produced therapy for osteoarthritis
July 18 2022 - 03:54PM
Cells for Cells ("C4C"), a clinical-stage biotech pioneering
allogeneic stem cell and stem-cells-derived therapeutics for
high-impact chronic diseases, announced a 6-month follow-up of the
groundbreaking Clinical Data from the First-ever patient dosed with
an exosome-produced therapy for osteoarthritis. The results were
made public at an extracellular vesicles signature series during
the ISCT annual meeting in San Francisco and the ISEV meeting in
Lyon, France.
Dr. Maroun Khoury, Chief Scientific Officer of
C4C, presented the results of the first trial evaluating the safety
and efficacy of exosome biotherapeutics in joint disease. This
study reported an unprecedented WOMAC score reduction six months
after a single administration of XO-101, C4C's flagship exosome
therapy derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). The exceptional
milestone suggests that XO-101 may provide a significant positive
effect on the treatment of osteoarthritis, which affects the
quality of life of more than 32 million people in the US. The
encouraging outcome of the first-in-human study supports the
interest in the ongoing ExoOA-1 Phase I Study (clinicaltrials.gov
identifier: NCT05060107), which will recruit ten patients.
The preclinical data gathered after 12 studies
demonstrate XO-101's cartilage regeneration capacity and increased
bone mineral density in cases of clinical OA in vivo. Both
therapeutic effects are now being corroborated in first patients.
"Milestones like these are great boosters for pushing our clinical
program forward. The lack of any observed adverse effect in this
first-in-human trial reinforces the safety profile of C4C's
MSC-derived exosomes and their potential as disease-modifying
agents," said Dr. Khoury.
The XO-101 product was first in the race to the
clinic and could be among the first exosome therapies approved by
the FDA. Following this success, Cells for Cells decided to spin
out its exosome asset into a new US-based company focusing on
well-aging and longevity. "The first-patient milestone positioned
C4C ́s exosome therapy at the forefront of the field, and, in order
to capitalize upon that achievement, we decided that forming a new
venture was the best route for clinical and financial success. The
NewCo will seek to raise US$ 18 million to finance the XO-101's
Phase IB and II studies in the US and the R&D and Phase I for
XO-101+, its drug-loaded allogeneic exosome-based therapy,"
remarked Maximiliano Kunze, Associate Director of Business
Development at C4C.
About Cells for CellsC4C is a
clinical-stage company developing biotechnology platforms,
including allogeneic cell therapies and extracellular vesicles,
aiming to improve global population healthspan by targeting key
hallmarks of high-prevalence chronic diseases. The organization is
characterized by its strong commitment to time-sensitive and
cost-efficient clinical and IP validation, which allowed it to
achieve the first-ever clinical proof-of-principle of an
exosome-produced therapy for joint disease. Due to this trial's
extraordinary and promising results, C4C is forming a spin-off
company with its exosome asset in the US and opening a Series A
funding round with global investors.
Contact
Maroun Khoury, PhD
CSO and acting CEO
comunicaciones@c4c.cl