Orig3n, a Boston-based biotech company, today announced a research collaboration agreement with Harvard University, led by a faculty member from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), to develop cell therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
As part of the collaboration, Harvard researchers will have access to Orig3n's proprietary cell bank, which is HLA-matched to 90 percent of the United States population and is the largest of its kind dedicated to commercial applications for cell therapy. The research effort will focus on developing allogeneic cardiomyocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Leading the research team is Richard T. Lee, MD, Professor in Harvard's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and leader of the cardiovascular program at HSCI.
"We are always looking for new ways to bring breakthrough treatments to patients," said Robin Y. Smith, CEO of Orig3n. "We are extremely excited to be collaborating with Dr. Lee and his colleagues at Harvard and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute to accelerate this research as we work to revolutionize regenerative medicine."
"This collaborative research has enormous potential, particularly as our industry colleagues have important experience using iPSCs to develop cardiomyocytes and a robust cell bank," said Lee. "This research will help us move forward in our work to explore novel cell therapies in cardiovascular indications that have unmet medical needs."
"We are excited to begin working with Orig3n," said Brock Reeve, Executive Director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. "This initiative is a model for how we empower our network of 1,000 scientists to advance stem cell biology on a meaningful scale."
About Orig3n Inc. Orig3n exists at the intersection of biological science and emerging technology on a mission to revolutionize the future of medicine. Orig3n invests in breakthrough cell therapy programs by utilizing cutting-edge cellular science to develop personalized therapies for repairing tissue damage and treating disease. Additionally, as part of its mission to democratize access to genetic information, Orig3n provides consumers direct, affordable access to information about their lifestyle-related genes, thereby empowering people to make educated, proactive and personalized lifestyle choices that may impact their well-being. Since its founding in 2014, Orig3n has built the largest suite of direct-to-consumer genetic tests on the market. The company recently announced a Series B financing and has raised in excess of $50MM in funding since its inception. For more information, visit www.orig3n.com/our-mission/.
