US-based biotech company BioSurfaces has secured a $2.06m grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for one year, to advance the development of its Bio-Spun Cell Chamber (BSCC).
BSCC device encapsulates genetically engineered cells that produce therapeutic proteins to provide long-term delivery of a biotherapeutic agent to treat a chronic illness.
Building on extensive pre-clinical research, BioSurfaces expects the research grant to support BSCC in achieving three important goals of cell therapy delivery devices.
The goals include ensuring cells receive nutrients from the body, protecting them from immune system attacks, and facilitating the transfer of biotherapeutic agents produced by the cells from the device into the body.
The BSCC device provides a compact, minimally invasive option to provide consistent therapy, said BioSurfaces.
BioSurfaces president and CEO Matthew Phaneuf said: “Receiving this prestigious grant from the Gates Foundation represents a significant step forward in our goal to provide a practical, long-term therapeutic delivery solution for patients, especially for those in underserved areas.
“Our Bio-Spun Cell Chamber device is specifically engineered to address the challenges of fibrosis and immune rejection while enabling long-term biotherapeutic delivery.
“This device could be extremely helpful in low- and middle-income countries where access to biotherapeutics may be limited.”
According to BioSurfaces, patient compliance issues in developing countries are problematic due to several factors, such as supply chain interruption and economic access.
In foundational studies, the company’s BSCC device showed the potential to deliver a biotherapeutic agent for up to 150 days.
The device showed superior healing and minimal scarring compared to existing devices.
BioSurfaces will use the grant funding to enhance the cell capacity of the BSCC device, which will play an important role in achieving target therapeutic levels.
The company will partner with external research teams to access genetically modified cells that produce a biotherapeutic for a targeted disease.
The advancement of BSCC technology is expected to improve patient outcomes for other long-term diseases such as diabetes, liver disease and rare and transmittable diseases.
