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Method for Reproducible Differentiation of Clinical Grade Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells

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Summary
The National Eye Institute (NEI) and National Institute of Arthritis and Muscoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) seeks licensing and/or co-development of a method of producing human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
NIH Reference Number
E-212-2015
Product Type
Keywords
  • Stem Cells, Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells, RPE, Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, iPSCs, Photoreceptor, Retinal Degenerative Diseases, Vision Loss, Age Related Macular Degeneration, AMD, Best Disease, National Eye Institute, NEI, Bharti
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Muscoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIAMS
Collaboration Opportunity
This invention is available for licensing and co-development.
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Description of Technology

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a cell monolayer with specialized functions crucial to maintaining the metabolic environment and chemistry of the sub-retinal and choroidal layers in the eye. Damage or disease causing RPE cell loss leads to progressive photoreceptor damage and impaired vision. Loss of RPE is observed in many of the most prevalent cases of vision loss, including age related macular degeneration (AMD) and Best disease. Retinal degenerative diseases linked to loss of RPE result in a substantial economic, social, and healthcare burden for individuals and governments worldwide.

Currently, no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatments exist for AMD. Importantly, AMD vision loss is linked to RPE cell atrophy; thus, transplant and replacement of the lost RPE with healthy and functional RPE cells might be a treatment for AMD and other retina diseases. Healthy functional RPE can be grown/differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells. A graft of such RPE cells may potentially be implanted into the eye of AMD patients to restore vision or prevent vision loss.  However, methods for producing RPE cells for human therapy must be consistent, scalable and reliable. Generation and differentiation of clinical grade RPE under good laboratory practice (GLP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP) is critical for generating cells suitable for regulatory approval studies and for development of RPE cells for transplantation therapies. 

Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI),  and National Institute of Arthritis and Muscoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) have developed a novel invention that includes a procedure/method to consistently produce clinical grade RPE cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). The RPE cells produced may be used for advancing transplantation therapy for AMD and other retinal degenerative diseases associated with the loss of RPE. 

Potential Commercial Applications
  • Producing RPE cells for commercial or research purposes
Competitive Advantages
  • Clinical-grade process 
  • RPE cells for therapeutics or modeling
Inventor(s)

Kapil Bharti Ph.D. (NEI), Lucas Chase Ph.D., Xuezhu Feng Ph.D., Balendu Jha Ph.D. (NIAMS)

Development Stage
Publications

Miyagishimaa K, et al. In Pursuit of Authenticity: iPS Cell-derived RPE for Clinical Applications.  [PMID 27400791]

Miyagishimaa K, et al. A basis for comparison: sensitive authentication of stem cell derived RPE using physiological responses of intact RPE monolayers.  [PMID 28286868]

Patent Status
  • U.S. Provisional: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 62/215,579 , Filed 08 Sep 2015
  • U.S. Patent Filed: U.S. Patent Application Number PCT/US2016/050543 , Filed 07 Sep 2016
  • U.S. Patent Filed: U.S. Patent Application Number 15/758,314 , Filed 18 Mar 2018
  • Foreign Filed: - Patent Application 2018-512373 , Filed 07 Mar 2018
  • Foreign Filed: - Patent Application 16766444.0 , Filed 07 Sep 2016
  • Foreign Filed: - Patent Application 2997952, Filed 07 Sep 2016
  • Foreign Filed: - Patent Application 2016231170, Filed 21 Mar 2018
Therapeutic Area
Updated
Tuesday, August 14, 2018