BioRestorative Therapies (NASDAQ:BRTX) reports that it is engaged in substantive discussions with an undisclosed commercial stage regenerative medicine company concerning the licensing of its proprietary off-the-shelf ThermoStem platform targeting obesity and metabolic disorders.
Previously published peer-reviewed preclinical data from a study conducted in collaboration with the University of Utah School of Medicine demonstrated a clonogenic population of metabolically active brown adipose tissue (BAT) stem cells residing in adult humans that: (i) can be expanded in vitro; (ii) exhibit multilineage differentiation potential (osteogenetic, chondrogenic and adipogenic); and (iii), functionally differentiate into metabolically active brown adipocytes. In addition, the preclinical results confirmed that multipotent brown adipose-derived stem cells (BADSCs) induced to differentiate into brown adipocytes exhibit the mature functional properties of these cells, including increased mitochondrial activity, an important functional characteristic of BAT.
BADSCs with brown adipogenic potential would represent an exciting new modality for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders. To explore this possibility, BioRestorative developed a 3D Porous Extracellular Matrix-Derived Scaffold for effective cell delivery. Data obtained in high-fat fed NOD-SCID mice transplanted with differentiated BADSCs supported by the 3D scaffold showed significant reductions in weight, triglyceride and blood glucose levels compared to saline-only injected controls.
In a statement, Lance Alstodt, CEO of BioRestorative, said, “It has been captivating to watch the scale, scope, and speed with which potential license partners have begun to show interest in our proprietary off-the-shelf ThermoStem platform.”
“We are particularly pleased that our pioneering animal studies, which demonstrated that BADSCs show promise in correcting the weight gain and hyperglycemia associated with high fat feeding, and that our 3D scaffolds, which are capable of retaining viable transplanted cells for at least five weeks post-implantation, have attracted the caliber of the commercial stage regenerative medicine company with which we are now engaged in substantive licensing discussions,” Mr. Alstodt added.
