Investment takes Stem Cell Development towards Mass Production


A Series A funding round that raised €7.1million ($7.8million), has set Treefrog Therapeutics (Bordeaux) pathway for the transition of its C-Stem™ technology to cGMP standards by 2021, with the development of proprietary and collaborative cell therapy research programs in a wide array of indications (Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart failure, diabetes, NASH…) with the objective of a first-in-man clinical trial in 2024.


The funding round was led by French-German venture capital team XAnge (Siparex Group), joined by private equity fund Galia Gestion as a new investor and historical investors from the earlier seed funding round, Irdi Soridec, Aquiti Gestion and SATT Aquitaine.


In addition to attracting €6.5million ($7.million) in equity, TreeFrog Therapeutics was granted a further €600k ($670k) non-dilutive funding in March by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, Bpifrance and the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. Over the past four years, the project has already received a total of €3million ($3.3million) from the University of Bordeaux, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the Technology Transfer Office for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France (AST Innovations). The company’s key proprietary technology has


shown some promising results for the mass production of stem cells with short lead times. The first batch of 143 million human IPS cells were reportedly amplified in only seven days - without about ten times higher than current industry standards - and genomic integrity proved 100% preserved by the Imagine Institute in Paris.


“This Series A round marks the culmination of a global fundraising effort, which includes seed capital and non- dilutive funds, to the amount of approximately €8million ($9million). We now have the resources to meet our milestones, build our capacities and secure our plan for growth. In addition to the investors who have put their trust in us, we are very grateful to the French Investment Bank Bpifrance, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council, the bioproduction school ENSTBB and the UNITEC incubator for their support,” said Maxime Feyeux, President, CSO, TreeFrog Therapeutics.


“I am delighted to complete this funding cycle so quickly. Within the past six months, we have been approached by several big pharma companies to develop novel cell therapy programs. Now, all the lights are green as we move forward with our partners with the aim of a first-in-man clinical trial within three to five years,” said Kevin Alessandri, CEO & CTO, TreeFrog Therapeutics.


Maxime Feyeux (left) and Kevin Alessandri (Credit:TreeFrog Therapeutics)


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Anton Paar Research Award 2019: Call for Entries


Analytics and Characterisation. “We are looking forward to receiving submissions on new methods and/or applications of instrumental chemical analysis or physical characterisation of materials not older than two years,” said Gerhard Murer, Lead Scientist at Anton Paar. Additionally, the proposals should show a high probability of enabling new scientific or industrial products and/or applications.


The application is open to anyone interested in chemical analysis or physical characterisation. The focus should be on new methods and applications. Projects that are not published may also be submitted, provided the criteria are met. The deadline for entries is 30 September 2019.


The Austrian specialist for analytical instruments and measuring equipment Anton Paar is calling for applications for the 2nd Anton Paar Research Award for Instrumental


The Anton Paar Research Award includes a prize of €20,000 Euro funded by Anton Paar. The winners will be selected by a jury consisting of representatives from renowned Austrian universities and Anton Paar. All entries will be judged based on the potential for application as a product or method,


and the impact on the development of new or improved measuring technologies. The prize will be awarded in the beginning of 2020.


The Anton Paar Research Award 2018 was divided between two outstanding applications. Robin Ras and Zhou Quan from Aalto University in Finland convinced the jury with their project for the spatially resolved measurement of the wettability of hydrophobic surfaces using a drop of water as a probe. Johannes Waclawek and Bernhard Lendl from the Vienna University of Technology were awarded for a high- resolution gas sensor with laser detection. 69 teams from 19 countries applied for Anton Paar’s research prize 2018.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/xLye 49322pr@reply-direct.com


Apoptosis Process Found to Disrupt Immune Cell Function


macrophages, needed at wound or infection sites to aid healing processes. These white blood cells can also cause and worsen many human diseases, including cancer, heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders.


The findings,* which have shown that macrophages prioritise the clearance of dead cells, thus overriding their normal migration to sites of injury, could provide insights into mechanisms controlling the white cells in our body, such as how they get to and are kept at sites of injuries.


Dead cells disrupt immune responses and undermine defence against infection, new research has found. Credit: University of Sheffield


In a study led by the University of Sheffield, scientists have found that cells which are programmed to die, (apoptosis), can also disrupt the normal function of immune cells, or


Dr Iwan Evans, from the Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Sheffield and co-author of the paper, said: “Billions of cells die within our bodies on a daily basis and many of these are removed and digested by our immune cells. If this removal process goes wrong it can lead to damaging autoimmune conditions. Excessive or inappropriate immune responses worsen or cause a very broad range of human diseases from cancer to neurodegeneration. This work studies fundamental biological processes that are going on inside our bodies every day that are necessary to keep us healthy.”


The research to investigate the interactions between dying cells and immune cells was conducted using fruit flies which contain macrophage-like cells highly similar to our own immune cells. The new study also uncovered a novel role for a protein called Six-Microns-Under (or Simu) in keeping immune cells at sites of injury. Without this protein the macrophages left wound sites precociously.


Hannah Roddie, fellow co-author of the study and Research Associate at the Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Sheffield, said: “The study shows that the way fruit fly blood cells respond to injuries and dying cells is even more similar to how our own immune cells respond than previously thought. We are now looking into what signals macrophages use to track down dying cells and how they choose between the dead cells and wounds. We’re fascinated to understand how immune cells are kept at the sites of injuries.”


*published in the journal PLOS Biology 49527pr@reply-direct.com


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