Socio-Economic Impact of Stem Cell Therapies Featured in Executive Digest

An article from Prof. Lino Ferreira was featured in the November edition of the Portuguese magazine Executive Digest, on the “Socioeconomic Impact of Therapies based on Stem Cells.”

The article highlighted that regenerative medicine is positioned at the cutting edge of the twenty-first century´s health systems. Its main purpose is the development of new therapeutic solutions for malfunctioning organs and tissues in the worlds’ increasingly older population, , and to fight the continuous rise of health costs, especially in the treatment of chronic illnesses.

Recent estimates point out that the USA can save up to 250 billion dollars per year with the adoption of regenerative medicine treatments for chronic illnesses like neurodegenerative disease (Parkinsons, injury of the spinal marrow, cardiovascular diseases, neurovascular accidents, and diabetes.)

In 2007, more than 50 companies offered products and services based on regenerative medicine, employing more than 3,000 people and with annual sales of up to 1.3 billion dollars. Approximately one million patients have already been treated with this type of therapy and 50 new products await approval by the international regulatory agencies. In addition, investment for the development of new products reached 850 million dollars. There is also great interest within the medical community in the development of new therapies based on stem cells for the regeneration of organs and  tissues. Presently, there are over 2,000 clinical trials worldwide developing stem cell related therapies.

During the last few years, business models in the stem cells area have expanded, varying from companies that offer tissue repositories, equipment for the development of stem cell products, kits of cell cytotoxicity tests, and development of novel drugs for the pharmaceutical industry. Meanwhile, there are several companies conducting clinical trials on products that will probably be available to the public in the next two years. Some of these companies are following the same business model used for the marketing of biological products -  developing several products with the same overall purpose. Other companies are focusing on the production of customized medical products in an autologous or allogeneic context.

Portuguese Entrepreneurship in the Area of Stem Cells

In Portugal there are essentially two types of companies in the stem cell area: those supplying mainly services like cryopreservation of stem cells (Crioestaminal, Criovida, Bioteak, Cytothera,.); and those developingnew technological products (EcBio and Stemmatters). For example, EcBio possesses a patented methodology for isolating and expanding mesenchymal stem cells in the umbilical cord matrix, and Stemmatters is a company focused on the development of new products and services for tissue repair and regeneration, especially on bone and cartilage.

In this area, companies face big challenges related to: (i) risks associated with a new research area needing constant engineering developments; (ii) investor skepticism in the biotechnology field; (iii) public and political acceptance of these type of cellular therapies; (iv) investment by the national health system in this kind of product; and (v) undefined international regulatory policies required for the approval of these kind of cellular base products. It is to be expected that technology-based companies will emerge in Portugal in the coming years mirroring other countries around the world. This growth is fueled by the increasing interest of the pharmaceutical industry in expanding its portfolio in the biotechnology area and governmental interest in investing in new technological platforms to decrease expenses on health.

For this business area to develop, it’s important for Portugal to create a scientific innovation environment that promotes the creation of links with international partners and establishment of a skilled workforce. Some steps have been taken in this direction over the last few years, but it will be necessary to concentrate more public and private investment in this area, resembling what has been done in other countries. During the last few years, relevant partnerships have emerged between biotechnology research centers and companies (Crioestaminal, EcBio, Stemmatters, etc.) for the development of products in regenerative medicine, in particular with stem cell research, and this effort should continue in the future. Additionally, it will be necessary to increase the number of patents in this field to get full value from the generated knowledge.

The MIT Portugal Program as a Catalyst for Investigation and Transformation in the field of Stem Cells

The MIT Portugal Program has launched a research platform and advanced training program, which together promote the development of new high value- added economic activities based on innovation in the health and biotechnology sectors, and thus contributing to the creation of a nationwide critical mass.

The research in the cutting-edge area of stem cell engineering for regenerative medicine within the MIT Portugal Program addresses stem-cell based therapies and tissue engineering for treatment of hemato-oncologic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, regeneration of ischemic tissues, and urinary tract repair.

To build a robust research portfolio, a cross-cutting research program in stem cell engineering for regenerative medicine is being developed and targeted to: i) reach a better understanding of fundamental biological processes that regulate the stem cells activity and their differentiation; ii) enhance technologies involved in the isolation of stem cells from human tissues (mostly bone marrow, blood of umbilical cord, and adipose tissue, ), to expand more efficiently those cells in vitro for later cryopreservation as well as the development of protocols for transplantation; iii) develop new types of bioreactor systems and processes for the maintenance, expansion and differentiation of stem cells, particularly in 3D conditions; iv) develop new biomaterials (matrixes, membranes, micro- or nanoparticles) and surfaces able to elicit specific reactions to cells, supporting cell growth and differentiation, as well as its organization into tissues; and v) specific pattern impression in biomaterials to improve the functionality of materials-cells combinations that form substitutes of human tissues.