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Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Vertebral Regeneration

Project objectives

Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Although there are several causes of LBP, one of the main causes is the degeneration of the intervertebral discs of the spine. This condition accounts for approximately 40%, or 280 million, of LBP cases. This entails an economic expenditure for the European Union of approximately 240 billion euros. Despite the importance of this problem, patients with this type of LBP have only a few treatment options, such as conservative pain management and physiotherapy. If these are not enough, the last option is represented by an invasive and expensive surgery. There are no treatments yet that can stop or reverse this condition. The best treatment for chronic LBP would be regeneration of the degenerated tissue to achieve long-lasting effects.

iPSpine partners, which include universities and companies, have teamed up to begin researching a new advanced therapy for the treatment of LBP caused by disc degeneration. The aim of this project is to study and develop a new advanced biological therapy using a type of cell called induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC). These cells are created by reprogramming fully mature cells, such as blood or skin cells, into specific cells in the spine. Only a few mature cells are needed to make a large amount of iPSCs. These iPSCs are then differentiated into disc cells that can repopulate the original cell pool that has degenerated. Over the next five years, the iPSpine partners want to demonstrate that iPSCs can be a therapeutic strategy. This will start with laboratory research to create the cells and continue in a preclinical animal model. By the end of the project, the therapy should be ready for advancement to the first human clinical trial.

iPSpine's ambition is to:

- Develop an iPSC-based treatment and address developmental issues, facilitating possible translation from the laboratory to clinical practice;

- Prepare the basis for the first allogeneic induced iPSC therapy approved in Europe for the treatment of low back pain (LBP) due to intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD);

- Obtain global recognition for Europe as a leader in the development of advanced iPSC-based therapies.

Start and end date

2019 - June 2024

Project managers

Prof. Gianluca Vadalà – Associate Professor in Orthopedics and Traumatology

Coordinating institution of the project

Universiteit Utrecht (Netherlands)

Other Institutions involved in the project

  • Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma (Italy)
  • Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (Netherlands)
  • University of Nantes (France)
  • Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht (Netherlands)
  • National University of Ireland Galway (Ireland)
  • University of Ulm (Germany)
  • University of Bern (Switzerland)
  • Institut National De La Sante et De La Recherche Medicale (France)
  • Naturwissenschaftliches Und Medizinisches Institut An Der Universitaet Tuebingen (De)
  • Ao-Forschungsinstitut Davos (Switzerland)
  • Sheffield Hallam University (United KingSun)
  • Ntrans Technologies Bv (Netherlands)
  • University of Montpellier (France)
  • University of Miami (United States)
  • Spineserv Gmbh & Co. Kg (Germany)
  • The University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
  • Pharmalex GmbH (Germany)
  • Catalyze BV (Netherlands)
  • stitchesing Nationaal Reumafonds (Netherlands) 

Funding source

European Commission Horizon 2020

Link to the project website

Homepage - iPSpine

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