Melbourne-basedstem cell and regenerative medicine company Cynata Therapeutics Limited (ASX:CYP) has executed of a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) with TekCyte Pty Ltd in respect of TekCyte’s wound dressing technology.
TekCyte has developed proprietary surface modification technologies to produce polymer-coated dressings for the delivery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to wounds. The MoU anticipates the parties negotiating and entering into a licence agreement for the use of TekCyte’s technologies in the commercial development of Cynata’s MSC product for diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).
Cynata’s Cymerus MSCs have demonstrated very promising efficacy in a preclinical model of diabetic wounds (also known as diabetic ulcers), a significant medical problem with an estimated market value of nearly US$10 billion.
Those studies, conducted independently by the Cooperative Research Centre for Cell Therapy Manufacturing (CTM-CRC) and designed to compare cells from various sources, utilised TekCyte’s dressing seeded with MSCs or similar cells. The related patent families are assigned to TekCyte from the CTM-CRC.
Chief Operating Officer, Dr Kilian Kelly, said Cynata now plans to undertake a clinical trial of its Cymerus MSC product in patients with diabetic foot ulcers based on this solid pre-clinical foundation and utilising the TekCyte technology. As a supplier of medical coatings, TekCyte will work with Cynata to manufacture and supply the active dressing for the planned clinical trial.
In Australia alone, diabetic foot disease results in more than 27,000 hospitalisations, 4,400 amputations and 1,700 deaths annually,” Dr Kelly said.
“Unfortunately, there is also evidence that the burden of this disease is growing year-on-year, and existing treatment options have limited success.
“The very encouraging data from the pre- clinical studies at the CTM-CRC with our Cymerus MSC product, especially when compared with other cell products, provides a rational and sound basis for us to proceed with TekCyte’s patch technology. We look forward to completing the planned licence agreement and to commencing a clinical trial in DFU.”