MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 3, 2024
Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) seek to expand treatment access for patients
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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Turn Biotechnologies, a cell rejuvenation and restoration company developing novel mRNA medicines for untreatable, age-related conditions, announced its latest study to assess the efficacy of using epigenetic reprogramming to rejuvenate bone marrow stem cells.
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The study, which is being funded by Methuselah Foundation, is the first to evaluate use of Turn Bio's unique RNA-based ERA™ therapy to rejuvenate bone marrow function to improve the quality of donor cells used in stem cell transplantation. Healthy marrow releases blood cells into the bloodstream. As adults age, their bone marrow produces fewer disease-fighting B and T cells and other products that help reduce inflammation throughout the body. Aged stem cells also collect changes in their DNA known as clonal hematopoiesis that can serve as a prelude to leukemia development.
"Multiple studies of clinical bone marrow transplant outcomes have identified that patients who receive donor stem cells from young donors have superior outcomes, owing to more durable correction of underlying blood and immune defects, with lower risks of graft dysfunction and donor clonal hematopoiesis," said Timothy Olson, MD, PhD, principal investigator of this study, and Medical Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant and Co-Chief of the Cellular Therapy & Transplant Section at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). "We hope the study shows that epigenetic reprogramming can help to make bone marrow transplants both more effective and more accessible to patients."
Rejuvenating older bone marrow cells could improve the body's ability to fight disease, speed wound healing, improve the blood cells' capacity to carry oxygen, and enhance the success of donor-to-patient transplantations. This could allow the use of older donors for transplants.
Transplants replace a patient's diseased blood-forming cells with healthy cells. The procedures are used to treat certain types of cancer, blood disorders, and autoimmune diseases. Nearly half of the world's annual 50,000 bone marrow transplants are performed in the United States.
Methuselah Foundation is interested in increasing survival rates for marrow transplant and gene therapy patients where current survival rates for patients with nonmalignant diseases is over 70% with a matched sibling donor and over 36% with unrelated donors.
By rejuvenating donor stem cells, researchers aim to increase the safety and efficacy of these intensive treatments. Additionally, with the growing use of gene therapy and gene editing, the ability to rejuvenate stem cells during these processes can potentially make the one-time treatments safer and more effective.
"We believe this study will confirm that epigenetic reprogramming can effectively rejuvenate bone marrow cells and restore their youthful performance —which will potentially extend the healthy human lifespan," said David Gobel, co-founder and CEO of Methuselah Foundation, the world's first biomedical non-profit focused on human longevity.
The year-long study will measure the effectiveness of Turn's ERA solution by treating mouse blood progenitor cells and transplanting those cells into irradiated mice of the same genetic background.
"This study represents a significant milestone for Turn Bio as it demonstrates how we are taking our science beyond individual therapeutics to create solutions for a variety of diseases. We are optimistic it will validate the dramatic impact of epigenetic reprogramming in improving the human healthspan," said Anja Krammer, Turn Bio CEO. "We have repeatedly demonstrated that ERA treatments can safely rejuvenate human cells. This is an opportunity to bring theory to life."
The study will be conducted by Timothy S. Olson, MD, PhD, Associate Section Chief, Cell Therapy & Transplant Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), with the support of Turn Bio Scientific Advisors: Joseph Hai Oved, MD, Leader of the Primary Immunodeficiency and Immune Dysregulation Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and Kevin J. Curran, MD, Director of the Immune Effector Cell Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
ABOUT TURN BIOTECHNOLOGIES
Turn Bio is a pre-clinical-stage company focused on repairing tissue at the cellular level and developing transformative drug delivery systems. The company's proprietary mRNA-based ERA™ technology restores optimal gene expression by combatting the effects of aging in the epigenome. This restores cells' ability to prevent or treat disease and heal or regenerate tissue. It will help to fight incurable chronic diseases. Its eTurna™ Delivery Platform uses unique formulations to precisely deliver cargo to specific organs, tissues, and cell types.
The company is completing pre-clinical research on tailored therapies targeting indications in dermatology and immunology, and developing therapies for ophthalmology, osteo-arthritis, and the muscular system. For more information, see www.turn.bio.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jim Martinez, [email protected] or (312) 543-9026
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SOURCE Turn Biotechnnologies, Inc.
