A recent article published in the Advance Science magazine discussed research by Monash University that uncovered a new technique to alter the shape of individual stem cells, which could potentially speed up recovery times for bone replacements.

A key aspect of the research was related to the development of micropillar arrays using UV nanoimprint lithography.

This nanoimprint litography, when implanted into the body as part of a bone replacement procedure, was found to change the shape, nucleus, and genetic material inside stem cells — in effect tricking the cells into becoming bone.

The study was conducted in collaboration with the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, CSIRO, the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne.

The researchers said this breakthrough could speed up the “process of locking one replacement with surrounding tissue, in addition to reducing the risks of infection.”

The study will now be advanced into animal model testing to see how they perform on medical implants.

A number of ASX stocks are developing solutions of their own for stem cell and regenerative tissue technology

Osteopore (ASX:OSX) works with bones directly — a bone implant technology used for medical procedures.

The company designs polymer implants for neurosurgical, orthopaedic, and maxillofacial surgery use.

It specialises in the production of 3D printed bioresorbable implants that are used in conjunction with surgical procedures to assist with the natural stages of bone healing.

The 3D bio-printer makes a scaffold that mimics bone, with a patented micro-architecture which traps the patient’s own stem cells.

Osteopore uses a slow degrading bioresorbable polymer that has been approved by the US FDA, which possesses mechanical strength similar to the more malleable ‘spongy’ part of bone.

The company recently received CE marking from the European Medical Devices Directive, which was extended to cover its Osteomesh, Osteoplug products.

Here’s a summary of five other ASX stocks building solutions in the space:

Orthocell (ASX:OCC)

OCC develops collagen medical devices and cellular therapies for the repair and regeneration of human tendons, bone, nerve and cartilage defects.

Its flagship product, the CelGro, is a naturally derived collagen medical device for tissue repair.

Along with US, Japan, and Australia, Orthocell has also recently obtained a patent for CelGro in China and Hong Kong.

The company’s Ortho-ATI therapy treats chronic tendon injuries. This unique treatment uses each patient’s own tendon-derived cells to stimulate tendon regeneration, delivered via ultrasound guided injection under local anaesthetic.

Aroa Biosurgery (ASX:ARX)

Aroa develops medical devices for wounds and tissue repair using its extracellular matrix (ECM) technology, mainly in the United States.

Recent study shows 100% success rates from the use of its Myriad product when patients underwent surgical reconstruction of exposed vital structures such as bone and tendon.

Myriad takes advantage of the Aroa ECM bioscaffold technology, including important secondary molecules and vascular channels to support new tissue growth.

The US FDA has recently granted Myriad a 510(k) clearance.

Regeneus (ASX:RGS)

The company’s technologies, Progenza and Sygenus, are novel approaches to pain, that leverage stem cells as cellular pharmacies and utilise Secretome as a therapeutic agent.

Progenza is a cellular therapy targeting pain and inflammation which uses Secretome to improve not only the resident tissue, but the Mesenchymal Signalling Cells (MSCs) themselves.

It fills a gap in the current treatment market for osteoarthritis, by providing disease modification and pain relief to address patient symptoms – before more drastic treatments such as surgery is required.

The company is currently raising up to $4.5 million in a placement to accelerate the work required to initiate its Progenza Osteoarthritis Phase 2 trial in the US.

Sygenus, meanwhile, is a topical secretome-only product to reduce pain and inflammation by accelerating tissue repair.

Sygenus acts on epidermal stem cells, keratinocytes and resident immune tissue to enhance the body’s ability to decrease pain and inflammation and subsequent tissue repair.

Anteris Technologies (ASX:AVR)

AVR claims that its Adapt Technology is the first and only bio-scaffold technology that completely re-engineers xenograft tissue into a pure collagen scaffold with optimized strength and pliability.

A recent study indicated that Adapt-treated tissue has superior anti-calcification attributes compared with tissues used in competitor valves.

The company says that calcification is a major problem in heart valve replacements made from animal tissue, with a potentially huge addressable market.

Anteris is currently raising $2.3m to progress its studies as it eyes commercialisation.

Cynata Therapeutics (ASX:CYP)

The company’s Cymerus stem cell technology addresses the complexities of manufacturing the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at scale.

MSCs have huge therapeutic potential for numerous unmet medical needs, which have already been demonstrated and widely documented.

To address this problem, the Cymerus process generates cell-based products from intermediate cells, known as mesenchymoangioblasts (MCAs), which in turn are derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

The company is about to initiate a new study to investigate the pre-clinical model of lung disease, using the Cymerus mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

 

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