Cell Therapy Catapult & Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service part of team
The UK BioMedical Catalyst1 has awarded an initial grant of £2m to a team led by the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine at University of Edinburgh2, for the development of a cell therapy for liver cirrhosis. The Cell Therapy Catapult, which is focused on the development of the UK cell therapy industry to increase the nation’s health and wealth, is collaborating on the project, providing regulatory, non-clinical safety and clinical trial advice, plus a market access assessment. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is also involved in the macrophage-based project.
Keith Thompson, CEO of the Cell Therapy Catapult, said, ‘With organ transplant the only viable treatment at present for end-stage liver disease, options such as this innovative cell therapy are much needed. We’re delighted that the project has been awarded the funding to carry out the first clinical trial of this new approach.’
1Over £30 million committed across UK for cutting-edge medical advances
2Cell Therapy trial offers new hope to liver disease patients