UK stem cell specialist enters China

ReNeuron, a British biotechnology company that develops stem cell treatments for brain and eye conditions, has sold the Chinese rights for two of its therapies to pharmaceutical giant Fosun Pharma in a deal worth 80 million pounds ($105 million).

ReNeuron’s two major innovations involve stem cell procedures for stroke patients and sufferers of the retinal disease retinitis pigmentosa, which leads to blindness. Both treatments are yet to reach market and are undergoing trials in the United States and the United Kingdom.

The deal means Fosun Pharma will fully fund the future development of ReNeuron’s stroke and retina treatments in China, including clinical trials and commercialization activities, according to Olav Hellebo, ReNeuron’s chief executive.

“China represents a significant market opportunity for our products and we look forward to working with Fosun Pharma to ultimately bring these treatments to the many patients in China who may benefit from them,” Hellebo said.

Stem cells are cells that have not yet differentiated into specialized cells such as neurons and muscle, bone, and blood cells.

In stem cell therapy, stem cells are injected into a damaged region of the body. Under the right conditions, the stem cells develop into specialized cells, thus helping to regenerate and repair diseased or damaged tissue.

ReNueron will be responsible for supplying Fosun Pharma with the stem cells for its CTX and hRPC cell therapy programs. In the hRPC program, stem cells are injected into the back of the eye in patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa.

This hereditary condition currently has no cure, and can lead to complete blindness following the degradation of cells in the retina.

Earlier this month ReNeuron announced that its first human trials for the therapy had been successful, with some patients reporting the ability to read three more lines on an eye test chart after receiving stem cell treatment.

The hRPC program will now begin another trial on a larger number of patients. ReNeuron is also exploring the possibility of using the therapy to treat other eye conditions.

The CTX program involves injecting stem cells into the brains of people who have suffered strokes.

A stroke occurs when blood flow leading to, or within, the brain is blocked, or a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, which can result in damage to the nerve cells in the brain and a loss of bodily functions.

ReNeuron’s CTX cell therapy program has been trialed on people living with chronic disability following a stroke. In the trial, some patients showed improvements on the Rankin Scale, which is a measure of disability and dependence upon others in carrying out daily activities.

“The collaboration with ReNeuron will contribute to the strategic leading position of Fosun Pharma in this area in China, and also help us to enrich the pipelines for severe disease medical solutions,” said Wu Yifang, president of Fosun Pharma.“The licensed products and unique stem cell platforms will bring a lot of strategic synergies with our current business, addressing huge unmet needs in the Chinese market. Regenerative medicine is one of the most advanced areas with various cutting-edge technologies.”

Several other British and Chinese companies involved in medical innovations have partnered in recent years.

In 2017, BGI Genomics, China’s leading DNA sequencing provider, partnered with UK genomics software company Congenica to bring cutting-edge genome-based medicine to China’s healthcare system.

And last year, Cambridge-based medical robotics company CMR Surgical received an undisclosed investment from the Zhejiang Silk Road Fund in China.

CMR Surgical has created the world’s smallest surgical robot, called Versius, which performs laparoscopy, or “keyhole” surgery, thanks to mechanical arms that mimic the movements of the human hand.