Orgenesis has added muscle-derived stem cells to its offering through a manufacturing joint venture with Revatis.

The partnership will supply developers of autologous cell therapies with exosomes and other cellular products obtained from muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (mdMSCs).

The firm told us “The objective is to spin-off Revatis technology developed in the vet field into the human field; the JV  is currently planned to be  called “REVACEL.

“After technology transfer, REVACEL will conduct development of muscle derived MSCs first and then as sourcing of exosomes and other cellular products for targeted indications; therefore, REVACEL will cover the full value chain, from cells collection to therapeutics development & manufacturing in human.”

Didier Serteyn, Revatis’ CEO, said the JV will “seek to advance a variety of promising cell therapies built around our proprietary processes to collect and produce mdMSCs.

“Orgenesis’s unique POCare Platform provides a global network of hospitals and research institutes through which we can conduct clinical trials, with a goal to develop life-saving therapies,” he added.

PoC business

Orgenesis CEO Vered Caplan said the deal fits with Orgenesis business model, which is to “streamline the entire process of therapeutic development and delivery of cell therapies within the patient care setting.”

She also cited existing Revatis relationships, explaining “, RevaTis has existing partnerships with research institutions in the US, the Middle East and India that will be highly complementary to our own POCare Network.”

Orgenesis decided to focus on its point-of-care business earlier this year. Shortly after it sold Masthercell – a third-party cell and gene therapy business – to Catalent for $315 million (€285 million).

The idea is to collect, process and supply cells within the patient care setting. Partnerships with hospitals and research institutions are core to the strategy.

In February Johns Hopkins University licensed rights to use the PoC processing technology for cell and gene therapy research.

Likewise, in January, Orgenesis announced the University of California, Davis will use the platform to develop, commercialize and supply cell and gene products and therapies.

Prior to that Orgenesis’ joint venture with Theracell signed an agreement with Greece-based Hygeia Group covering use of the platform at three hospitals owned by the latter organization.