BioSurfaces, committed to enhancing global lives, revealed their receipt of a $2.06 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This one-year funding is dedicated to advancing their Bio-Spun Cell Chamber (BSCC), a groundbreaking device aimed at delivering a biotherapeutic agent over time for treating chronic diseases.
The BSCC device envelops genetically modified cells that secrete therapeutic proteins. Drawing from comprehensive pre-clinical studies on the BSCC, BioSurfaces anticipates that the grant-supported research will prove the BSCC’s capability to fulfill three critical and challenging goals of implantable cell therapy devices: ensuring nutritional supply to the cells from the body, safeguarding the cells against immune system attacks, and facilitating the movement of the produced biotherapeutic agent from the device into the body. This device holds promise as a compact and minimally-invasive option for maintaining consistent therapy.
Patient compliance remains challenging in developing regions due to issues like interruptions in supply chains and economic barriers. Such complications lead to inconsistent treatment, heightening the risk of severe disease-related complications. Present implantable devices or cell coating technologies often fail due to materials that induce scar tissue (fibrosis), which blocks essential nutrient influx to the cells and hinders therapeutic protein output necessary for disease management. Moreover, implanted devices lacking a protective barrier between the encapsulated cells and the body can trigger harmful immune responses.
Initial studies revealed that BioSurfaces’ BSCC device can deliver therapeutic agents for up to 150 days, showcasing superior healing with minimal scarring compared to current devices. Grant funding will bolster the BSCC’s cell capacity, pivotal for reaching the desired therapeutic outcomes. BioSurfaces plans to collaborate with external research entities to obtain genetically-engineered cells that secrete a biotherapeutic targeting a specific disease.
“Securing this esteemed grant from the Gates Foundation is a vital step in our quest to supply a practical, enduring therapeutic delivery system, particularly for patients in underserved regions,” stated Matthew Phaneuf, BioSurfaces’ president and CEO. “Our Bio-Spun Cell Chamber is crafted specifically to tackle issues like fibrosis and immune rejection while enabling sustained delivery of biotherapeutics. This device may prove invaluable in low- and middle-income countries with restricted access to biotherapeutics.”
The continued advancement of the BSCC technology holds the potential to enhance patient outcomes in managing long-term conditions such as diabetes, liver complications, and various rare and infectious diseases. This innovation might revolutionize the domain of cell-based therapeutic solutions.
Based in Ashland, Massachusetts, BioSurfaces is dedicated to uplifting lives globally by leveraging Bio-Spun nanofiber technology alongside its extensive expertise to create and offer products that excel beyond current market options.