Multifunctional cell microcarriers for high throughput cell culture and enzyme-free cell harvesting

RepliCel是一家再生医学公司，开发自体细胞疗法来治疗慢性肌腱病，紫外线损伤或老化的皮肤，以及斑秃。该技术中的细胞是从患者皮肤活检中分离出来的，在二维烧瓶中培养长达一个半月，使用酶收获，并使用RepliCel专有的下一代注射设备输送到患者体内。最近，据报道，该公司的自体细胞疗法治疗雄激素性脱发（型秃）的首次人体临床研究成功完成。因此，RepliCel寻求新技术来改善目前耗时、劳动密集型和低通量的细胞培养过程。这项合作研究和开发计划的总体目标是开发一个创新平台，使在小体积足迹中培养大量贴壁细胞对于满足不同规模的批次要求是必不可少的。在这个项目中，我们将采用多方面的方法，结合微流体技术、先进材料和药物输送来大量培养细胞，并在不使用细胞破坏酶的情况下收获细胞。这项技术将使RepliCel能够在不断增长的细胞治疗方法市场上竞争，用于治疗慢性肌腱病、皮肤受损或老化以及斑秃。拟议的研究预计将为不列颠哥伦比亚省和加拿大带来显著的经济收益，因为目标技术适用于新兴的战略市场。这一领域的创新有助于降低与当前细胞治疗相关的成本，并改变健康和生命科学部门。

RepliCel is a regenerative medicine company that develops autologous cell therapies to treat chronic tendinosis, UV-damaged or aged skin, and pattern baldness. The cells in this technology are isolated from skin biopsies that are obtained from patients, cultured in two-dimensional flasks for up to a month and a half, harvested using enzymes, and delivered in the patients using RepliCel's proprietary, next-generation injection device. Recently, the successful completion of its first-in-human clinical study of the Company's autologous cell therapy for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness) was reported. As such, RepliCel seeks novel technologies to improve their cell culture process, which is currently time-consuming, labor-intensive, and low-throughput. The overarching goal of this collaborative research and development proposal is to develop an innovative platform that enables culturing a large number of adherent cells in small volumetric footprints is imperative for meeting lot requirements at different scales. In this project, we will use a multifaceted approach that combines microfluidic technology, advanced materials, and drug delivery to grow cells in large quantities and harvest them without using cell-destructive enzymes. This technology will allow RepliCel to compete in the ever-increasing market of cell therapy approaches for the treatment of chronic tendinosis, damaged or aged skin, and pattern baldness. The proposed research is anticipated to result in significant economic gains for BC and Canada since the targeted technology applies to an emerging and strategic market. Innovations in this area can help reducing the costs associated with current cell-based treatment and transform the health and life sciences sectors.