NeoProgen Chooses Colombia for the First-In-Human Clinical Trial of Its Innovative Cell Therapy to Regenerate Muscle Tissue in the Heart
The biotech company is developing a cell therapy that could help patients who have suffered a heart attack. It's the latest company led by Medtech entrepreneur Bill Niland.
[ORLANDO, FL, FEBRUARY 23, 2020] NeoProgen, Inc. a Baltimore-based company led by Medtech entrepreneur Bill Niland, has chosen Colombia for its first-in-human clinical trial as it develops a cell therapy for patients following a heart attack. bioaccess™ will help NeoProgen select a research center, obtain institutional review board (IRB) approval to initiate its clinical trial, and will provide clinical project management.
In late 2019, NeoProgen raised $1.5 million in seed funding. The round featured an all-Maryland lineup of investors: The University System of Maryland’s Momentum Fund, which contributed $245,000; TEDCO; and UM Ventures, which is the commercialization arm of the University of Maryland.
Like his earlier venture, Harpoon Medical, NeoProgen has origins in research at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. That’s where Dr. Sunjay Kaushal, a leading pediatric cardiac surgeon, found that a specific kind of stem cells are extremely effective in regenerating muscle tissue in the heart. While they are normally discarded following surgery on infants with congenital heart disease, the regenerative properties of these still-growing cells can be particularly effective in healing, Niland said. They can be put to use to help patients who suffered a heart attack, a group of which 40% experience heart failure.
Through research studies, “what we’re seeing is that the cells greatly diminish the damage to the heart from the heart attack,” Niland said.
NeoProgen formed in 2019 and licensed the technology from UMB. Now it’s working to develop a therapeutic. The cell therapy would be implemented within three to five days after a heart attack. Niland points out that what’s recovered in the heart is the size of the tip of a pen.
“That’s a small piece of tissue, but we can get enough cells out of that to treat thousands and thousands of adult patients,” Niland said. “The NeoProgen team is strong with seasoned entrepreneurs and scientists, access to rare tissues, and a novel solution to heart failure,” said Claire Broido Johnson, managing director of the Momentum Fund, in a statement. “If they are successful, the company will pioneer a new treatment paradigm in heart failure, create jobs, and provide economic development to Baltimore.”
Colombia is an ideal location for stem cell clinical trials since its regulatory approval process is the fastest in Latin America, its hospital costs are about 30% less than in the US, and the country boasts great patient recruitment potential with a 50 million population with universal access to healthcare.
About NeoProgen
NeoProgen works to advance cardiac stem cells and is developing a therapy that would be implemented three to five days after a heart attack. The company's mission is to advance neonatal cardiac stem cells into a clinical trial for ischemic heart disease. Read more at www.neoprogen.com.
About bioaccess.™
bioaccess™ is a Florida-based clinical research organization (CRO) and market access consulting company which mission is to help innovative medical device companies conduct clinical research and commercialize their innovations in Colombia and the rest of Latin America. The company provides its clinical research clients with support services to ensure their first-in-human trials are a success in Colombia (e.g., regulatory submission, logistical support, project management, and study monitoring; among others). Read more at www.bioaccessla.com.
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Media Contact:
Julio G. Martinez-Clark
CEO, bioaccess™