Disease Focus: Pediatrics
A monoclonal antibody that depletes blood stem cells and enables chemotherapy free transplants
This trial proposes to replace SCID patients’ dysfunctional immune cells with healthy ones using a safer form of bone marrow transplant (BMT). Current BMT procedures must use toxic chemotherapy to make space in the bone marrow for the healthy transplanted stem cells to engraft. The Stanford team will instead test a safe, non-toxic protein called […]
Efficacy and safety of cryopreserved autologous CD34+ HSC transduced with EFS lentiviral vector encoding for human ADA gene in ADA-SCID subjects
In ADA-SCID, allogeneic hematopoietic (blood) stem cell transplants from non-matched sibling donors are a high risk procedure. Additionally, the efficacy of chronic enzyme replacement therapy is uncertain in the long-term. A team at UCLA is using a patient’s own blood stem cells to try and rebuild the damaged immune systems of patients with ADA-SCID. They will use what’s […]
A Phase I/II, Non Randomized, Multicenter, Open-Label Study of G1XCGD (Lentiviral Vector Transduced CD34+ Cells) in Patients With X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease
X-linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease (X-CGD) is a rare immune disorder that prevents white blood cells from killing foreign invaders. This results in severe, recurrent infections that can impact quality and length of a patient’s life. X-CGD is usually diagnosed before age 5, but without treatment, children die before age 10. A team at UCLA is using the patient’s own genetically […]
Clinical Trial of Stem Cell Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a genetic mutation in the hemoglobin gene which causes red blood cells to “sickle” under conditions of low oxygen. SCD affects 1:500 African-Americans and is also common in Hispanic-Americans. The median survival for patients with SCD is 42 years for males and 48 years for females. A team at UCLA […]
Modeling of GATAD2B-associated neurodevelopmental disorder and NuRDopathies: Investigation of cellular & molecular anomalies altering neurodevelopment
Research Objective Human and animal models of NuRD-deficiency will identify NuRD-subtype function in context of neurogenesis. Multi-omic studies will identify/quantify molecular and cellular changes in NuRD-deficiency. Impact NuRD-deficiency causes several neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), our work will identify and quantify cellular and molecular changes in human and mouse models of corticogenesis with NuRD deficiency. Major Proposed […]
Harnessing vascular stem cells to grow and protect the human brain
Research Objective The origins of brain vascular mural cells are unknown. This proposal will identify mural stem cells in the developing human and mouse brain and determine their impact on blood brain barrier formation. Impact Brain vascular diseases can have profound impacts on long-term neurological function. This proposal will map the stages of mural stem […]
Development of a Gene Therapy for the Treatment of Pitt Hopkins Syndrome (PHS) – Translating from Animal Proof of Concept to Support Pre-IND Meeting
Translational Candidate MZ-1866 is a recombinant AAV9 based gene therapy containing the transgene encoding Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4) Area of Impact Pitt Hopkins Syndrome is a rare genetic neurological disease which causes profound disability and severe health impact Mechanism of Action Patients with Pitt Hopkins Syndrome have heterozygous mutations in the Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4) […]
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing of Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells for Friedreich’s ataxia
Translational Candidate Autologous human CD34+ HSPC of patients with Friedreich’s ataxia, modified ex vivo using CRISPR/Cas9 to remove the GAA expansion mutation in frataxin Area of Impact Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) for which there is no effective treatment available Mechanism of Action The proposed therapy intervention is intended to impact the target indication of Friedreich's ataxia […]
Human Neural Stem Cells (hNSCs) for neuroprotection in perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HII)-Pre-IND-enabling Studies
Translational Candidate An established stable human neural stem cell line unmanipulated genetically & propagated under defined conditions Area of Impact Perinatal asphyxia (also called hypoxic-ischemic injury), a major untreatable cause of cerebral palsy & cognitive disability Mechanism of Action hNSCs rescue the penumbra, the part of the brain lesion following perinatal asphyxia that still has […]
ASCENT- Advanced Stem Cell Enteric Neuropathy Therapy
Translational Candidate ASCENT – Advanced Superdonor Cellular Enteric Neuropathy Therapy, is a donor progenitor cell population that replaces the enteric nervous system. Area of Impact ASCENT would treat enteric neuropathies including Hirschsprung disease and total intestinal aganglionosis which currently have no direct therapy Mechanism of Action Our goal is to develop an allogeneic “off the […]