Human Stem Cells Institute
Encyclopedia
Human Stem Cells Institute OJSC (HSCI) (Институт Стволовых Клеток Человека or «ИСКЧ»)(MICEX: ISKJ), Russia’s first public biotech company, was founded in 2003 along with the country’s largest private family cord blood bank
, Gemabank. HSCI engages in development, manufacturing and commercialization of cutting-edge products and services in the areas of cell-based, gene and post-genome technologies. HSCI is constantly expanding domestically and internationally, with affiliates and subsidiaries in Russia, Ukraine and Western Europe. In late 2010 the Company launched a comprehensive set of services for individual skin regeneration – SPRS-therapy (based on a technology approved by the Russian health authorities for applying autologous dermal fibroblasts to correct the effects of aging and skin defects). After completing Phase 2b/3 of clinical trials for Neovasculgen – the first gene-therapy drug in Russia for Peripheral Arterial Disease treatment, HSCI is in the process of obtaining its registration.
and infectious diseases. In 2009, HSCI successfully raised RUB 142.5 million in an IPO on MICEX and became the first publicly traded biotech company in Russia. The Company continued to expand in 2010, when it gained a 50% stake in Hemafund, Ukraine’s largest family cord blood bank
. In 2011, HSCI initiated the SynBio Project
, as a long-term partnership with the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO) and some major R&D companies from Russia and Europe including Pharmsynthez, Xenetic Biosciences and SymbioTec. The project is founded on strong principles of international scientific cooperation, as participating research centers are found in England, Germany, and Russia.
and products, gene-therapeutic treatments and post-genome products and technologies.
Cord blood bank
A cord blood bank is a facility which stores umbilical cord blood for future use. Both private and public cord blood banks have developed since the mid- to late-1990s in response to the potential for cord blood transplants in treating diseases of the blood and immune systems.Public banks accept...
, Gemabank. HSCI engages in development, manufacturing and commercialization of cutting-edge products and services in the areas of cell-based, gene and post-genome technologies. HSCI is constantly expanding domestically and internationally, with affiliates and subsidiaries in Russia, Ukraine and Western Europe. In late 2010 the Company launched a comprehensive set of services for individual skin regeneration – SPRS-therapy (based on a technology approved by the Russian health authorities for applying autologous dermal fibroblasts to correct the effects of aging and skin defects). After completing Phase 2b/3 of clinical trials for Neovasculgen – the first gene-therapy drug in Russia for Peripheral Arterial Disease treatment, HSCI is in the process of obtaining its registration.
History
In 2003, the Human Stem Cells Institute and Gemabank were established. Over the next few years, the Company increased its client base while expanding its technological abilities. In 2008, HSCI gained a blocking stake in the German biotech company, SymbioTec GmbH, which owns international patents for a new generation of drugs to treat cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and infectious diseases. In 2009, HSCI successfully raised RUB 142.5 million in an IPO on MICEX and became the first publicly traded biotech company in Russia. The Company continued to expand in 2010, when it gained a 50% stake in Hemafund, Ukraine’s largest family cord blood bank
Cord blood bank
A cord blood bank is a facility which stores umbilical cord blood for future use. Both private and public cord blood banks have developed since the mid- to late-1990s in response to the potential for cord blood transplants in treating diseases of the blood and immune systems.Public banks accept...
. In 2011, HSCI initiated the SynBio Project
SynBio
SynBio is a long-term project started in 2011 with the goal of creating innovative medicines, including what are known as Biobetters. This project is a collaborative effort of several Russian and international pharmaceutical companies...
, as a long-term partnership with the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO) and some major R&D companies from Russia and Europe including Pharmsynthez, Xenetic Biosciences and SymbioTec. The project is founded on strong principles of international scientific cooperation, as participating research centers are found in England, Germany, and Russia.
Research and Development
HSCI is engaged in scientific activities in several areas of contemporary bioscience which are considered most attractive in terms of safety, efficacy and marketability. According to company management, the most promising areas are related to the development of a new generation of cell-based technologiesCell therapy
Cell therapy describes the process of introducing new cells into a tissue in order to treat a disease. Cell therapies often focus on the treatment of hereditary diseases, with or without the addition of gene therapy...
and products, gene-therapeutic treatments and post-genome products and technologies.
Cell Technologies
- Conducting pre-clinical and clinical trials of cell products, based on the use of cord blood stem cells for treating myocardial infarctionMyocardial infarctionMyocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, liver cirrhosis and other diseases; products based on the use of mesenchymal stromal cellsMesenchymal stem cellMesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including: osteoblasts , chondrocytes and adipocytes...
, derived from various sources, for treating neurological and auto-immune diseases. - Creating and marketing new cell services which use the patient’s own cellular material, mainly in plastic surgeryPlastic surgeryPlastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
and aesthetic medicine, and also tissue-engineeredTissue engineeringTissue engineering is the use of a combination of cells, engineering and materials methods, and suitable biochemical and physio-chemical factors to improve or replace biological functions...
products for oral surgery and dentistry. - Participation in the development and distribution of instrumental techniques for the isolation of autologous cellular materialAutologous stem cell transplantationAutologous stem cell transplantation is a medical procedure in which blood-forming stem cells are removed, stored, and later given back to the same person.- External link :...
.
Gene Technologies
- Within this area of research, the Company is engaged in determining the clinical value of Neovasculgen, a new gene-therapy drug with the gene of the vascular endothelial growth factorVascular endothelial growth factorVascular endothelial growth factor is a signal protein produced by cells that stimulates vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. It is part of the system that restores the oxygen supply to tissues when blood circulation is inadequate....
(VEGF) embedded in a plasmid vector (carrier); the scientific search of genetic constructions that optimize the effects of the VEGF gene. - Creation of new gene-therapyGene therapyGene therapy is the insertion, alteration, or removal of genes within an individual's cells and biological tissues to treat disease. It is a technique for correcting defective genes that are responsible for disease development...
drugs, based on other constructs and genes. - Developing a new generation of osteoplastic material required in the work of maxillofacial surgeons, neurosurgeons, vertebrologists, traumatology and orthopedics.
Post-Genome Technologies
- Developments in this area are based on the research of histone proteinsHistoneIn biology, histones are highly alkaline proteins found in eukaryotic cell nuclei that package and order the DNA into structural units called nucleosomes. They are the chief protein components of chromatin, acting as spools around which DNA winds, and play a role in gene regulation...
as safe and natural vectors for genetic constructions, which is considered as a priority area for the development of next-generation gene-therapy products. In addition, selective anticancer activity of histone 1.3 (H1)Histone H1Histone H1 is one of the five main histone protein families which are components of chromatin in eukaryotic cells. Though highly conserved, it is nevertheless the most variable histone in sequence across species.- Structure :...
is major prerequisite for the continuation of studies of its clinical value and also indicates the possibility of combining gene & cell and post-genome technologies for the development of innovative treatments for serious diseases.
Subsidiaries and Affiliates
- Cell Technology Laboratory LLC (Russia) is a research subdivision of HSCI in Russia created for developing innovative cell- and gene-based technologies with promising medical application including such as ESCEmbryonic stem cellEmbryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, an early-stage embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50–150 cells...
and iPSIPS- Medicine and biology :* Induced pluripotent stem cell* Intermittent photic stimulation, a neuroimaging technique* Intraparietal sulcus, a region of the brain* Ips , a genus of bark beetle- Media and entertainment :...
. - Vitacel LLC (Russia) is focused on developing cell-based technologies; has developed and patented SPRS-therapy – an individual skin regeneration method based on the use of autologous dermal fibroblasts for skin defects treatment. The lab is currently further developing the technology of using autologous fibroblasts in aesthetic medicine and stomatologyStomatologyStomatology is the branch of medicine and dentistry relating to the mouth and mouth disease. It was practiced by physicians as a medical specialty in the early 20th century in the United States but these concerns are now largely handled by dentists....
. - Cryonix CJSC (Russia) is developing cell-based medications as well as introducing new therapeutics based on Histone H1Histone H1Histone H1 is one of the five main histone protein families which are components of chromatin in eukaryotic cells. Though highly conserved, it is nevertheless the most variable histone in sequence across species.- Structure :...
. - NextGen Company Limited (Russia) develops the new ways to treat inherited diseases using Artificial Reproductive Technologies and the creation of arrays for DNA diagnostics for inherited diseases and predisposition to them
- Hemafund Medical Centre LLC (Ukraine) is a family cord blood bankCord blood bankA cord blood bank is a facility which stores umbilical cord blood for future use. Both private and public cord blood banks have developed since the mid- to late-1990s in response to the potential for cord blood transplants in treating diseases of the blood and immune systems.Public banks accept...
and the market leader in Ukraine. The specialists of Hemafund are actively implementing partnership programs with colleagues from Western European countries. - Hemafund Medical Biotech Company LLC (Ukraine)works to advance R&D projects in cell technology, develop new methods of treatment and implement them into clinical practice.
- SynBio LLCSynBioSynBio is a long-term project started in 2011 with the goal of creating innovative medicines, including what are known as Biobetters. This project is a collaborative effort of several Russian and international pharmaceutical companies...
is a special project company established to develop innovative medicines, first-in-class and those known as BioBetters.