Allele Biotechnology Partners with UC San Diego on $25.8M ARPA-H Project to Develop 3D Bioprinted Livers for Transplantation
核心洞察
Allele Biotechnology has joined a $25.8 million ARPA-H (搜索)-funded project with UC San Diego (搜索) to develop fully functional, patient-specific 3D bioprinted livers for transplantation.
The project aims to create "made-to-order" livers using patients' own cells through mRNA reprogramming of induced pluripotent stem cells, eliminating the need for donor organs and immunosuppressive drugs.
If successful, the technology could potentially save over 12,000 U.S. patients annually who are currently on liver transplant waiting lists.
Allele Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals (搜索) has announced its participation in a groundbreaking $25.8 million research initiative with the University of California, San Diego, funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H (搜索)). The ambitious project seeks to develop fully functional, patient-specific 3D bioprinted livers for transplantation, potentially revolutionizing treatment for the thousands of patients who die annually while awaiting donor organs.
Revolutionary Approach to Organ Transplantation
The project operates under ARPA-H (搜索)'s Personalized Regenerative Immunocompetent Nanotechnology Tissue (PRINT) program, led by Program Manager Ryan Spitler, Ph.D. The PRINT program utilizes state-of-the-art bioprinting technology and regenerative medicine approaches to create personalized, on-demand organs that eliminate the need for immunosuppressive drugs.
The objective centers on developing "made-to-order" livers grown from patients' own cells, offering a safe and scalable alternative to traditional transplantation. This innovative approach would eliminate both the need for donor organs and the requirement for lifelong immunosuppressant medications.
Allele's Role in Stem Cell Manufacturing
Allele will leverage its patented, highly efficient mRNA reprogramming method to produce induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs (搜索)) in its GMP facilities dedicated to stem cell-derived therapies. The iPSC technology, pioneered by Dr. Shinya Yamanaka and recognized with the Nobel Prize in 2012, forms the foundation of this regenerative approach.
Led by Allele's founder and CEO Jiwu Wang, Ph.D., the company's team will apply its master gene mRNA platform to generate multiple liver-specific cell types, including hepatocytes (搜索), cholangiocytes (搜索), endothelial progenitors (搜索), and hepatic stellate cells (搜索). The manufacturing process aims to produce these cells at low cost and high yield for clinical applications, with quantities eventually reaching tens of billions per organ.
Collaborative Research Team
The joint liver regeneration team operates under the leadership of Shaochen Chen, Ph.D., a professor in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering at the UC San Diego (搜索) Jacobs School of Engineering and a world-renowned 3D bioprinting expert. The project brings together specialists across multiple disciplines, including liver biology, imaging, surgery, and artificial intelligence.
Addressing Critical Medical Need
Liver failure represents a life-threatening condition that claims thousands of lives annually as patients await donor organs. The project addresses a critical unmet medical need, with over 12,000 U.S. patients currently on liver transplant waiting lists. If successful, this technology could provide an on-demand source of functional liver tissue for transplantation, potentially saving these patients while also reducing healthcare costs and improving long-term outcomes for those with chronic liver disease.
The 60-month project represents a significant investment in regenerative medicine technology that could fundamentally transform organ transplantation by eliminating organ shortage limitations and immunological complications associated with traditional transplant procedures.