Reneuron's stem cell technology could produce cancer-combating cells

New data from a study by Reneuron has encouraged the company that its stem cell technology could be adapted to specifically attack cancerous cells.

While undergoing a clinical evaluation for treatment of stroke-related disability, the company’s human stem cell line (CTX) was successfully reprogrammed to a pluripotent state for the first time, an embryonic stem cell-like state that enables future differentiation into any cell type.

Long-term data, which will be presented on Friday at the 26th Annual Congress of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT) in Lausanne, Switzerland, suggests that the stem cell platform can be an effective treatment for reduced motor function in stroke patients but may have even further reaching applications.

Data also demonstrated that the induced pluripotent stem cells can be differentiated along a different lineage from the original cell type and will retain the functional immortalisation technology infused into them by Reneuron.

NK and T-Cells, which can be modified to attack cancer cells, are among those which could be produced using the CTX platform.

Randolph Corteling, head of research at Reneuron, said: "Importantly, the possibility of generating an allogeneic source of haematopoietic stem cells from our clinical-grade CTX cell line offers the prospect of a potential non-patient-specific alternative to those cancer immunotherapies in development that currently rely on the use of the patient's own T-cells."

Reneuron said in a statement that the company will now look to develop allogeneic cell lines, including NK and T-Cells, as potential therapeutic agents for licensing to third parties.

Reneuron’s shares were up 3.42% at 60.50p at 1308 BST.