STEMGENOS: Engineered mesenchymal stem cells combined with gene therapy for osteoarticular disease

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 02.0257

Key words (English)

Biotechnology; Environmental Protection; Innovation; Technology Transfer; Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Waste Management

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK3-CT-2002-02039

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.3 The 'cell factory'

Short description (English)

See abstract

Abstract (English)

Destruction of articular cartilage occurs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) having an incidence of 1 % and 12% in the population respectively. The resulting disabilities of RA and OA have a major impact on the European economy and health. The novel immuno therapies available have a serious limitation as only targets the inflammatory process, which returns when therapy ceases and does not cure damaged cartilage.

Our hypothesis is: Restoration of joint function could be achieved by long term therapy that is both anti-inflammatory and provides for cartilage differentiation factors that facilitate and induce tissue repair using genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). We will genetically engineer mouse and human MSC using transcriptionally regulated lenti-viral vectors. These cells will attach to damaged cartilage and synthetic matrices, express chondrogenic differentiation or transcription factors and immunosuppressive compounds to enable long term tissue repair in OA and RA. Engineered cells will be assessed in vitro and in vivo in models of RA and OA. This project will deliver new therapeutics in form of nucleic acids, proteins and engineered cells. These novel technologies would be exploited commercially.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 02.0257