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Research is receiving 4.2 Mio Euros from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme.
Heidelberg, Germany, July 02, 2012 / B3C newswire / - Medicyte, The Electrospinning Company and the Universities of Manchester and Pisa launch a European wide unique project with the aim to design a biomimetic bioartificial liver (Re-Liver). The company GABO:mi ensures professional project management.
Within the European Union, 6% of the population is suffering from chronic liver diseases. And although the liver is one of the best-studied organs in the human body, therapeutic approaches are often precluded. The scientists experienced several limitations for possible applications. On the one hand, suitable donor livers for solid organ transplant are in short supply and on the other hand, in-vitro and ex-vivo technologies for recapitulating liver function still fall short of reliability, consistency, and predictability.
The aim of Re-Liver is to reconstitute a standardized and reproducible bioartificial liver organoid (BLO) using healthy human liver as an architectural and biomaterial template. According to the EMA criteria, the BLO is a cell-based medicinal product, a highly innovative and complex medicine. In addition to the Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP), new diagnostic tools and further products in cell-based applications will be developed and validated by the Re-Liver Consortium, made up of three industrial partners, all SMEs, focusing the commercialisation of market-leading products across Europe and further afield. The results of Re-Liver could be used for minimal invasive implantation to treat metabolic diseases, such as Haemophilia A, minimizing the transition from concept to clinic, and finally as an alternative for solid organ transplantation - giving new hope to over 10,000 people waiting for a liver transplant in the EU.
Dr. Joris Braspenning, CEO and CSO of Medicyte GmbH, Coordinator of the Re-Liver consortium comments: “I am highly delighted receiving the opportunity from the European Union to lead the Re-Liver joined forces of industry and academia. The combination of our complimentary areas of expertise will give a deeper insight into the complex bioartificial liver design, but is also an innovative approach to develop better and quicker diagnostic tools and cell-based products. This will be of great benefit for tomorrow’s Advanced Therapies and of course for patients suffering from liver diseases.”
This research is receiving funding (4.2 Mio Euros) from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/ 2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 304961
More information soon on the Re-Liver project page: www.reliver.eu
About Medicyte
Medicyte is specialised in the controlled generation and standardisation of human primary cell products in virtually unlimited quantities and of highest quality for cell therapy and cell-based R&D. Medicyte’s proprietary technologies upcyte® and vericyte® enable to expand human hepatocytes from different donors and other cells in a standardized way, thereby making these cells for the first time commercially available in high numbers and consistent quality. Increasingly pharmaceutical companies consider using upcyte® hepatocytes for in vitro ADMET testing.
Contact
Coordinator:
Dr. Joris Braspenning
Medicyte GmbH
Im Neuenheimer Feld 581
69120 Heidelberg / Germany
Phone: +49-6221-72925-30
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Project Management:
Gabo:mi mbH & Co. KG
Dr. Sabine Schmidl
Oskar-von-Miller-Ring 29
80333 Munich / Germany
Phone: +49-89-288104-30
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.