Israeli biotech company Matricelf (TASE: MTLF) today reported that it has successfully completed another usability trial with human implants for replacing the injured spinal cord of a living pig. The company is developing autologous (bone marrow) implants for the regeneration of damaged tissues by using stem cells and external stem cell components from the patients themselves.
Conducting the trial in the live pig simulates the anticipated surgical procedure in humans, both in terms of the flow of brain and spinal fluids (cerebrospinal fluid - CSF) and in terms of the bleeding that might be created near the site of the injury. During the trial, the company was successful in positioning, by two neurosurgeons, human implants (that is to say neural implants originating from human tissues) developed by the company, in the injured spinal cord of the living pig. After the placement of the implants in the area of the injury, a substitute Dura Patch was grafted into the injured spinal cord, as is done with humans, the membranes surrounding the spinal cord were sutured back together, and the trial was completed with major success.
Matricelf VP R&D Dr. Tamar Harel Adar said, "We are delighted to announce that the implants developed by the company, designed for treating traumatic injuries to the spinal cord have been successfully placed in the spinal cord of a living pig."
Matricelf CEO Dr. Asaf Toker added, "We believe that the results and the knowhow gained in the trial represent a significant achievement for the company, and moves us forward towards the next trials in animals and in humans. This is an important milestone in strengthening the company’s technological knowledge and advances us towards the vision we have set for ourselves - to be a world leading Israeli company in the field of tissue engineering."
Matricelf was founded in 2019 and has been traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) since June 2021. The company prepares its implants using technology that combines a thermo-responsive hydrogel produced in a unique process that includes the processing of a piece of Omentum (inter-peritoneal adipose tissue) taken from the patients themselves and pluripotent stem cells that are produced from adult cells, also taken from the patients. The technology has been developed over the past decade in the Tel Aviv University laboratory of Prof. Tal Dvir of Tel Aviv University and with this means the first-ever human heart was printed two years ago. With offices located in Ness Ziona, the company has 10 employees, and has raised NIS 24 million to date.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 11, 2022.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2022.