Key points from article :
Lineage Cell Therapeutics recently licensed novel iPSC lines from Eterna to find new treatments for CNS disorders and other neurology indications.
Already advancing cell therapy programs across multiple age-related conditions, including both vision and hearing loss.
Lineage’s approach is very different from that of a traditional biotech company.
Traditional approach identifies a pathway for a cell’s dysfunction and develop a drug to change that pathway and hopefully disease.
“In a condition of aging like dry AMD, trying to tickle just one pathway and achieve a significant clinical outcome is quite challenging," - - Lineage's CEO Brian Culley.
“Our approach manufactures new replacement RPE cells and transplant them to take over the role of the deficient/dysfunctional cells.”
“At Lineage, we start with the undifferentiated stem cells, then fully differentiate them into retinal epithelial cells.”
Early clinical trials on dry AMD cell therapy shown to not only transplant cells permanently but also stop the disease progression and even make the area of atrophy smaller.
AMD patients treated by Lineage to date also tend to improve their vision.
Results ultimately led to the Genentech deal, which included a $50 million upfront payment.
“Using the fact that stem cells can replicate and become other cell types, we can make a retina cell, spinal cord cell, as well as an auditory neuron."
"We have five programs now, where we have been able to figure out the recipe for a specific cell type.”
