Umoja Biopharma and TreeFrog Therapeutics Partner to Advance Off-the-Shelf Cell Therapies Using iPSC Technology

Recently, Umoja Biopharma, focused on developing off-the-shelf immune cancer therapies, and TreeFrog Therapeutics, dedicated to developing induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) therapies, jointly announced a collaboration. The two companies will attempt to integrate Umoja’s iPSC platform with TreeFrog’s C-Stem technology to enable large-scale expansion of iPSCs and immune cell differentiation within bioreactors.

Umoja's iPSC platform drives stem cell differentiation and expansion by expressing rapamycin-activated cytokine receptor (RACR) on induced pluripotent stem cells. As a result, these iPSCs can differentiate into innate cytotoxic lymphocytes, including natural killer (NK) cells, without the need for exogenous cytokines or feeder cells. TreeFrog Therapeutics' proprietary C-Stem technology encapsulates human induced pluripotent stem cells at high throughput (>1000 capsules/second) within biomimetic alginate shells, promoting exponential growth akin to that in the human body while simultaneously protecting the cells from external stress factors. In 2021, C-Stem technology was demonstrated to enable the large-scale expansion of induced pluripotent stem cells in a 10-liter bioreactor while maintaining their stem cell properties.

The successful integration of Umoja's RACR-iPSC platform with TreeFrog's C-Stem technology can overcome many challenges faced in the ex vivo development of allogeneic therapies. The combination of C-Stem and RACR technology enables induced pluripotent stem cells to be expanded and differentiated into high-quality immune cells in an efficient and controllable manner, allowing patients to safely undergo cell transplantation without the need for harmful lympho-depleting chemotherapy, providing sustained tumor-killing lymphocytes.

"Whether developing internal projects or strategically collaborating with pioneers in cell therapy, our primary goal is to bring the benefits of C-Stem technology to patients as quickly as possible. Our partnership with Umoja represents a significant step forward in the development of our immuno-oncology therapies. Beyond cell expansion and maintaining quality, the persistence of allogeneic therapies in vivo remains a continuous challenge for the industry. We believe that Umoja’s platform can deliver safer and more effective allogeneic therapies within the field of immuno-oncology treatment. We look forward to advancing this collaboration into the clinical stage and contributing to the future of off-the-shelf cancer therapies," said Dr. Frédéric Desdouits, CEO of TreeFrog Therapeutics.

References:

[1] Umoja Biopharma and TreeFrog Therapeutics announce collaboration to address current challenges facing ex vivo allogeneic therapies in immunooncology. Retrieved June 10, 2022 from https://www.umoja-biopharma.com/news/umoja-biopharma-and-treefrog-therapeutics-announce-collaboration-to-address-current-challenges-facing-ex-vivo-allogeneic-therapies-in-immuno-oncology/

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