Poles have discovered cells that could revolutionize modern medicine
Research by Polish biotechnologists could revolutionize modern medicine. VSELs stem cells, discovered and patented by Professor Mariusz Ratajczak’s team working so far in the US, offer hope for treating a number of diseases, as well as for faster regeneration of organs and aging tissues.
Research on the further use of comorek VSELs will carry out at the Center for Regenerative Medicine, whichore being created at the Center for Preclinical Research and Technology in Warsaw (CePT) – was announced during the conference „CePT – a platform for the development of innovative biomedicine 2018”. CePT also has plans to create a Center for Translational Medicine.
In a scientific conference, whichora was held on April 17 this year. at the Didactic Center of the Warsaw Medical University, was attended by more than 300 peopleob – representatives of science and business. The event showcased a number of innovative designoin scientific research in the field of biomedicine with high application value, carried out by scientific units of CePT – the vanguard of Polish science.
Presented m.in. The project to establish a Center for Regenerative Medicine and a Center for Translational Medicine in Poland. The creation of the two centersoThe Center may accelerate the development ofoj of Polish biomedicine by up to twenty years. This is a huge opportunity roalso for our economy. Also discussed were activities thatore will improve wspohe cooperation between the scientific community and the business sector, as well as challenges related to technology transfer and implementation of R&D work.
Small comorki worth millions
Regenerative medicine is currently one of the leading and most promising trendsoin biomedicine. In 2017, the global market for comoStem cells reached a value of $65 billion. Its leader – with 60 percent. participation – still America remains PoNorth, however, Europe is rapidly catching up with the. It is estimated that the European market for regenerative medicine will reach $24.2 billion by 2021.
This is as much as $15 billion more than just two years ago. According to prof. dr hab. Mariusz Ratajczak, thanks to the establishment of the Center for Regenerative Medicine in Warsaw and the research conducted on the development of the technology of comoVSELs stem cells (very small embryonic like stem cells – small cellsostem cells that resemble comoembryonic stem cells, whichore can be used in tissue regeneration), Poland can become an important player in this field of medicine, not only on the European, but roAlso in the global market.
– Our assumption is that Poland will be able to carve out the largest possible piece of the huge cake of regenerative medicine. We have outstanding human resources and a grant, thanks to which theorm we were able to purchase state-of-the-art equipment to continue our research on the application of comoVSELs. These are devices thatoThe research of VSELs, which could make us the envy of many world centers, is a great successoin scientific. – mowi prof. dr hab. Mariusz Ratajczak. – Further financial support is obviously needed to continue the work in Poland, rather than in the US, and to file patents here. – adds prof. Ratajczak.
The team of prof. Ratajczak is keen to ensure that the discovery is Polish intellectual property. The Center of Regenerative Medicine operating in CePT intends to apply for grants for further research on comoVSELs. There are also plans to establish an effective, commercial cooperationoIn cooperation with LifeScience companies. As noted by prof. Ratajczak, raising funds will require a lot of effort, but the game is worth the candle.
– As fororki VSELs, we must realize that we have something truly unique. Over the past few years, pharmaceutical companies and research teams around the world have been lobbing many types ofoin its own comostem cells, in large part because it is a huge business. As a result, however, it has often turned out that they are medically useless, as their use has created e.g. risk of tumor occurrenceow. On the other hand, many works carried out in Poland, although very interesting from the scientific point of view and subsidized with considerable financial resources, will not be able to be commercialized, because often the subject of research has already been covered by patent protection abroad – mowi prof. dr hab. Mariusz Ratajczak. – In the case of the comoof stem cells has emerged, so a niche has been created. Komork VSELs are a huge opportunity for Polish biotechnological thought, especially since we have a number of patentoIn this way, they will be able to earn their own money, and Poland may have a significant financial return from this. – convinces prof. Ratajczak.
Polish patent for eternal youth
Komorki VSELs, discovered and identified morphologically by the team ofoł prof. Ratajczak, have a chance to replace other problematic cellsostem cells, whichore prob is currently being used worldwide in regenerative medicine. A number of independent research groups in roD., D.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc., Phow, so that they can be an alternative e.g. for comoembryonic re cts arising from embryosow as a result of fertilization, over whichorymi research has been suspended m.in. due tooin ethical. Moreover, the comoVSELs show potential for further researchoThe differentiation into cellsor cells of many tissues of the adult organism, which creates great therapeutic possibilities.
– Our research gives hope for the treatment of a number of diseases through the use of comostem cells of the human body, e.g. sk coating burnsornych, diseases of the blood systemorcz, damage to the heart muscle, liver or lung epithelium– convinces dr. hab. Magdalena Kucia from the team of prof. Ratajczak. – We count on the support ofoWorking with clinicians interested in using comostem cells in roThe risk of tumorigenesis has been confirmed in many countries.in. from the fields of cardiology, neurology, hepatology or orthopedics – adds dr. Kucia.
RoIn parallel, the Center for Regenerative Medicine will work on a new generation of drugsoin, whichore would improve the condition of comostem cells, the mainoThe new technology has been discovered byoof the treatment, whichoThey take part in the regeneration of the organoin and aging tissues.
– If these comostem cells will be in good shape, we will live much longer and we will also regenerate much better. We want to lead to the creation of a new branch of biomedical sciences, the so-called “translational medicine”. pharmacology comostem cells, whichora can significantly contribute to slowing down the aging process of the human body. – says Dr. Magdalena Kucia. – Our ambition is to create a reference center of regenerative medicine in Poland, recognized roalso in Europe and around the world. We have all the assets to make this happen, including original research projects, a set of patentoIn our country, the goal is to accelerate the introduction of the results of CAR-T therapy – emphasizes dr. Forging.
“Living drugs” in the fight against cancer
During the conference „CePT – a platform for the development of innovative biomedicine 2018” roalso plan to create a Center for Translational Medicine, whichohe goal is to accelerate the introduction of the resultoin biomedical experimentsow to therapy for patientsoIn the fight against cancer, as well as minimizing the risk of serious consequences of the use of new drugsoin the patientow.
– Translational medicine is concerned with accelerating the transition from preclinical research where we evaluate zaroBoth the effectiveness and safety of the drugsow, ktore can be given to the patient, to the stage of using them in therapy for patientsow – explains Dr. hab. n. med. Radosław Zagożdżon, head of the Department of Clinical Immunology at the Institute of Transplantation at Warsaw Medical University.
An area in whichorym translational medicine has a specialoThe most common applications are the so-called. „living medicines”, involving the use of live comorec of the human body to achieve a therapeutic effect, e.g. bone marrow transplants. One of the therapies thatore to be developed at the Center for Translational Medicine operating at CePT, is the innovative CAR-T strategy, used to fight cancer. The spectacular effects of this method can be seen m.In. in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The result is up to 90 percent. total remissions.
– We are at the stage of creating the structure of the Center for Translational Medicine and completing the team ofoin research. In the optimistic version, we assume that within 3-5 years of achieving operability we will have candidates for CAR-T or CAR-NK therapies for Polish patientsow – emphasizes Dr. Zagozdzon.
For Polish patientsow is the hope for greater availability of CAR-T therapies. This is because it involves a complex and expensive technological process. Currently, the cost of a single CAR-T therapy in the United States is nearly $500,000. dollarow. How much it could cost in Poland? It is estimated that initially CAR-T therapy in our country would be an expense of about 150 thousand. Dollarow.
