Delaying aging seems to be an unchanging hot spot.
As the pace of entering an aging society accelerates, so does the need to delay aging. Researchers have not stopped exploring, either from a medical perspective, or from a technology perspective, or from a skin care cosmetic perspective.
Previous article, sharing the anti-aging layout of global pharmaceutical companies and exploring interesting Anti-aging new track. Today, let us focus on stem cells with “magic power”, comb the “black technology” of global stem cells, what are the exciting experimental results, see what players are on the track, and what is the market structure.
Next you will see:
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What kind of anti-aging power does stem cell and regenerative medicine have?
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How far is humans from true stem cell therapy?
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What are the exciting technological advances around the world?
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What stem cell products are available?
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What players are there in China? To what extent have they developed?
Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine
Stem cells, with a “magic power”, are known as the most promising areas of 21st century regenerative medicine.
The scientists’ research is still in the laboratory, and the stem cells are still covered with a mysterious veil.
It is known that stem cells can differentiate into multiple functional cells, such as a “universal cell”, with the ability to self-renew, multi-directional differentiation, and tissue repair.
In theory, according to this idea, researchers can manipulate a specific set of stem cells in a controlled environment, stimulating them to differentiate into ideal cells for the treatment of various diseases.
With the aging of the human body, the tissue will naturally degenerate and cause disease. The term “regenerative medicine” refers to the use of biological and engineering theoretical methods to create tissues and organs that are lost or functionally damaged, and to have the organization and function of normal tissues and organs. “Stem cell therapy” is one of the core of regenerative medicine. .
Domestic stem cell research
“The difference between good and bad” can accurately summarize the state of the stem cell industry. On the one hand, some health products that “sell the sheep and sell dogs” are smashing the market with the banner of stem cells; on the other hand, the development of cutting-edge stem cell technology is continuing.
This kind of research and development is still relatively early, and may be farther away than innovative drugs. Stem cell research is mainly concentrated in the academic and laboratory stages, with academic research in universities and research institutes, and a few companies are conducting research and development.
Experts are conducting research on mechanisms such as skeletal muscle, osteoarthritis, and vascular aging through gene editing, single-cell sequencing, and animal models.
After combing, domestic research is mainly focused on (incomplete statistics):
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Hu Ping, a researcher at the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, is engaged in research on adult stem cells;
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Qu Jing, Researcher, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, head of stem cell and aging research group;
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Zhang Weijun, researcher at the Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, whose main research interests are stem cell homeostasis and aging, epigenomics and human health;
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Professor Deng Hongkui of Peking University has established a technical means to regulate cell fate by small molecules in order to obtain pluripotent stem cells and various functional cells;
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Xie Xin, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, focuses on small molecule compounds that induce somatic cell reprogramming and transdifferentiation, and studies on myocardial repair.
Exciting research progress
Next, let’s take a look at the exciting research progress from around the world.
Japan’s stem cell research is at the forefront. The Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2012 and 2016 was awarded to two Japanese medical scientists in the field of regenerative medicine, Yamanaka Yamanaka and Otsuka, which inspired many researchers and more stem cell research. Emerged.
Interviewed Aaron Ciechanover, winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in ChemistryHe is currently 120 years old. He is currently the Dean of the Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In the interview, he shared a case of a patient with a lower neck below, with a significant improvement in motor function via high-dose stem cell therapy:
This young man named Kristopher Boesen, who performed the procedure at the University of Southern California Neuroremediation Center and the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center – The researchers injected a dose of 10 million AST-OPC1 cells directly into the cervical spinal cord of Kris.
In April of this year, humanized organ regeneration ushered in a major breakthrough – the world’s first 3D printed vascularized heart was developed.
The researchers at Tel Aviv University print out the complete heart in 3D with their own cells and biomaterials, and published research results in Advanced Science. Prior to this, there were other studies that were able to print the heart in 3D, but it did not have blood vessels and no complete heart function. This time, the study is unique. It is a complete heart made of human cells and patient-specific biological materials. It has cells, blood vessels and ventricles.
3D Print Heart
The researchers took a fat sample from the volunteers and programmed the cells in the fat into pluripotent stem cells. The pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into various types of somatic cells, and then the collagen, glycoprotein, etc. in the fat. The cell material is made into a hydrogel, which forms the 3D printed ink, which prints out the world’s first 3D printed complete heart.
Stem Cell Market – Technology and Chaos Parallel
The “magic power” of stem cells attracts a large number of institutions. As mentioned before, the 2012 Nobel Prize was awarded to the experts in the field of stem cells.Afterwards, relevant clinical research has emerged in large numbers. At the same time, some people have seen the huge business opportunities of stem cells, and want to share a piece of cake. The so-called “stem cells” are actually making false propaganda.
In order to curb chaos, Japan enacted laws and regulations in 2014, and the government supervised the implementation and implementation of stem cell therapy.
In 2015, China introduced a strict policy, “Cell Cell Clinical Research Management Measures (Trial)”. This is considered to be the toughest policy so far. The limited top three hospitals can only engage in stem cell clinical research in the name of “clinical research” only after becoming a “stem cell clinical research filing agency”, and “no charge”. This policy has curbed the chaos to a certain extent. However, there are still companies that “mutage” in various ways and continue to deceive consumers.
In general, the stem cell market is a state of parallel technology and chaos. So, what is the state of stem cell technology? How far is human beings from true stem cell therapy?
According to public information, more than ten stem cell drugs have been approved worldwide, mostly for bone repair and arthritic diseases:
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ChondroCelect, a drug developed by TiGenix, a Belgian pharmaceutical company, is the first cell-based drug product licensed from the EMA. The cell source is autologous cartilage for the treatment of knee cartilage defects
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Prochymal, a drug developed in the United States, is derived from allogeneic bone marrow for the treatment of type 1 diabetes
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Mesoblast, an Australian biotechnology company, is approved to produce autologous mesenchymal precursor cell (MPC) products from the autologous interstitial for the repair and regeneration of damaged tissues
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Hearticellgram-AMI, a drug developed in Korea, is derived from autologous bone marrow for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction
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Hemacord, a drug developed in the United States, is derived from cord blood hematopoietic progenitor cells for the treatment of hereditary or acquired hematopoietic disorders
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Cartistem, a drug developed by Medi-post in Korea, is derived from allogeneic umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of cartilage damage and degenerative joint disease
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Cupistem, a drug developed in Korea, is made from autologous fat and is used to treat anal fistula
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Prochymal, a drug developed in Canada, is derived from allogeneic bone marrow and is suitable for refractoryChildhood graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)
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Holoclar, a drug developed in Italy, is derived from autologous corneal epithelium and is suitable for moderate to severe limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD)
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The drug developed by Stempeucel in India, the cell source is allogeneic bone marrow, and the indication is severe lower limb ischemia caused by Burger’s disease
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Merci, a product developed by Vericel, a biotech company in the United States, is derived from the knee cartilage of patients for biopsy and is suitable for knee cartilage damage
The domestic commercialization of stem cells is still far away. There are no listed drugs, but a small number of companies are also developing.
Zhongyuan Concord, Hanshi United, Fosun Pharma, Kehua Bio, North China Pharmaceutical, Tasly and other listed pharmaceutical companies have all laid out in the stem cell industry.
In 2018, in order to enter the stem cell industry, Tasly invested US$20 million in Australian company Mesoblast Limited to obtain exclusive development, production and commercialization rights of cooperative stem cell products in China (including Hong Kong and Macao).
Take a few more examples of the Hawthorne that completed the tens of millions of round A round of financing at the end of last year. Focus on stem cell therapy for diseases in the neurological field, with iPS neural stem cell technology platform, and ongoing drug development. In April this year, the 100-year nickname announced a round of large-scale financing, with a first round of financing of 150 million yuan. The company mainly carries out immunotherapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy and small molecule targeted drugs such as Car-T cell therapy and tumor vaccine. A new type of drug development.
The team of Professor Li Qingfeng from the Department of Plastic Surgery of the Ninth People’s Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine focuses on the development of techniques for the treatment of adipose stem cells for skin treatment. Future related technologies can be applied to skin regeneration, healing, transplantation, etc. In July 2018, the Ninth People’s Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine exclusively transferred this stem cell technology to the Zhonghe Huapu (Beijing) Fund for 120 million yuan, and signed an agreement on the transformation of results.
We can divide the stem cell market into upper, middle and lower reaches, the midstream is a technology research and development platform, and the downstream is a stem cell product, then the upstream is the stem cell storage preparation.
In the hematopoietic stem cell market, the world’s major competitors are: Cord Blood Registry (CBR), StemCyte, Cryo-Cell, ViaCord; Smart Cells in the UK;Cryo-Save AG; Cryoviva, India; LifeCell; India’s Cordlife; Brazil’s Cordvida, and China Cord Blood Bank Enterprise Group (CO).
The main players in the Chinese market for stem cell storage are: Nanjing New Lily (with the Shandong Stem Cell Bank in 2018), Celera, Han’s Joint (placental stem cell storage), and Lejin Health.
The star company of the model animal production company provides a research stem cell bank and independently developed more than 100 kinds of stem cells and primary cell products. Similarly, CRO head company Biotech provides embryonic stem cell technology services.
A recent business survey report shows that the global stem cell treatment market will continue to grow at a CAGR of 36.5% in 2017-2022, and is expected to reach a market size of US$400 billion by 2024. At the same time, China’s stem cell market will grow faster, with an expected annual growth rate of 50%, and reach a market size of 130 billion yuan in 2024.
In general, the potential of stem cells is huge, but there are still chaos in the market. The company is not well-balanced, and the technology is still in the early stage of the laboratory. For the stem cell market, it’s a good idea to “let the bullets fly for a while.”
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