Cellino and Karis Bio working on first-in-human clinical trial of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for cardiovascular diseases
The collaboration aims to leverage innovative biomanufacturing technology to accelerate personalized therapies for cardiovascular patients worldwide.
Cellino says it has expanded into the Asia-Pacific region by collaborating with Karis Bio, a South Korean biotechnology company focused on cell therapies.
The two companies will jointly work on the industrialization of an autologous (patient-derived) induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based therapy intended for peripheral artery disease (PAD) and coronary artery disease (CAD).
The overall goal is to expedite the development of Karis Bio’s autologous iPSC-derived endothelial cell (iPSC-EC) therapy, designed to regenerate blood vessels in ischemic tissues.
Karis Bio reports that its initial clinical study in South Korea uses patient-specific iPSCs intended to restore circulation and repair damaged tissue, potentially providing an alternative to invasive treatments such as stents or bypass surgery, and avoiding issues related to immune rejection.
Cellino’s Nebula™ platform will support the scalable manufacturing of autologous iPSCs, aiming to accelerate Karis Bio’s progression towards commercialization. The Nebula™ system is a closed-cassette biomanufacturing platform that operates autonomously and can be deployed at the point of care, designed to produce consistent, high-quality cells without contamination. The initial phase of this partnership will focus on industrializing autologous iPSC production, with plans to expand into Phase 2 clinical trials through Karis Bio, USA, headquartered in Atlanta.
This partnership is Cellino’s first expansion into the Asia-Pacific region and aligns with its global objective of making autologous cell therapies more accessible. By integrating artificial intelligence-driven automation, robotics, and high-throughput biomanufacturing, Cellino and Karis Bio aim to advance personalized regenerative treatments for patients with cardiovascular diseases.
