On October 3, 2022 Sysmex Corporation (HQ: Kobe, Japan; Chairman and CEO: Hisashi Ietsugu) and JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (HQ: Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture; Chairman and President: Shin Ashida) reported that they have established a joint venture (hereafter "the joint venture") for carrying out research and development, manufacture and sales of cell-based regenerative medicine products including hematopoietic stem cells and other stem cells (Press release, Sysmex, OCT 3, 2022, View Source [SID1234621616]).
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
In recent years, the significant potential of regenerative medicine and cell therapy have been established in particular in areas that have traditionally been difficult to address with conventional chemically synthesized low molecular weight drugs1 or biopharmaceuticals,2 such as the restoration of tissues and functions lost as a result of aging, illness, autoimmune diseases, or cancer. In particular, research and development on the therapeutic application of stem cells including hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and iPS cells have generated significant attention.
Since its foundation, Sysmex has provided network solutions using IoT (Internet of Things) and automated testing flows to improve the safety of healthcare professionals and for the optimization of operational efficiency in clinical laboratories. In addition, while providing quality control testing for companies which develop regenerative medicine products, Sysmex has conducted research and development related to new pre-transplant compatibility testing examining the patient’s immune response against the organ or tissue to be transplanted.
Since its inception, JCR has been engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and sales of pharmaceutical products using regenerative medicine, genetic engineering, and gene therapy technologies to advance therapies in the rare disease field. This is exemplified in the field of regenerative medicine, by the approval of TEMCELL HS Inj.,3 the first allogeneic regenerative medicine in Japan (Non-proprietary name: Human (allogeneic) bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells) in February 2016 for the treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease (acute GVHD),4 a serious complication that develops after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In recent years, JCR has further streamlined and integrated its expertise around the establishment of groundbreaking medicines for the advancement of highly innovative medicines that could not be developed without such groundbreaking technologies.
In the joint venture, the two companies aim to realize the social implementation of regenerative medicine and cell therapy by integrating Sysmex’s expertise in quality control testing technology and knowledge of workflows efficiency using robotics technology, including IoT, with JCR’s expertise in developing, manufacturing and marketing regenerative medicine products. AlliedCel Corporation, which is the corporate name of the joint venture following prior discussions regarding the alliance both companies, was established on October 3, 2022. The joint venture will advance programs of the potential for technology development and commercialization, including the project currently being promoted by both companies using hematopoietic stem cell proliferation technology.
The name AlliedCel stands for the joint venture’s aspiration to integrate knowledge and expertise from a broad set of collaborators and stakeholders including business partners, patients and their families, with the united goal of unleashing the power of cells in supporting patients in their need for life-changing therapies. Through the research and development of regenerative medicine products using diverse cells such as stem cells, AlliedCel aims to provide appropriate treatment options to patients and improve their prognosis.