NEWS
Metcela announces issuance of second Japanese patent covering fibroblast-based cell therapy for the treatment of heart diseases | Metcela Inc.
Metcela Inc., a biotech startup specializing in fibroblast-based cell therapy, announces that the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) has issued Japanese Patent No. 6618066 to support the company’s technology of VCF (VCAM-1-positive Cardiac Fibroblast).
The patent titled “composition for injection which can be used for treatment of heart diseases and contains fibroblast, and method for producing fibroblast for therapy use”, covers the production and the use of fibroblast, specifically expressing VCAM-1, for the treatment of cardiac diseases.
The establishment of this patent, together with the previously issued cell-based patent (Japanese Patent No. 6241893), will further ensure the implement of exclusive fibroblast-based injectable therapy for heart failure in Japan. In addition, PCT application have been filed to transfer the patent to United States, Europe and other Asian countries. This patent demonstrates the high therapeutic efficacy of VCF injection in large animal models. VCF is characterized by simple manufacturing processes and this patent extends to the manufacturing method of VCF.
Metcela plans to further accumulate scientific ground of the technology such as elucidating the mechanism of action of VCF in heart failure treatment and promote the establishment of stable production to ensure the initiation of first-in-human clinical trial in 2020.
【About Metcela】
Metcela Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company that researches and develops cell-based therapy. Since its establishment on March 2016, Metcela has been focusing on the development of “VCF” or VCAM1-positive Cardiac Fibroblast, a cell-based therapy to provide an alternative therapy option for those with heart failure. With this financing, Metcela aims to develop effective cell delivery system, conduct safety and efficacy experiments, and prepare for the first-in-human Phase I clinical trial. Metcela is also planning to expand the research team and collaborate with the other research institutions and pursue to develop new product pipelines by taking advantage of its proprietary cell therapy-related technologies.