How Mesenchymal Stem Cells May Reduce the Need for Antirejection Drugs

In a recent press release, Cynata Therapeutics, a biotechnology company, announced a partnership with Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) to explore how mesenchymal stem cells may reduce the need for antirejection drugs following a kidney transplant. LUMC will fund the clinical trial, called the "Safety and Efficacy of iPSC-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy in Renal Transplant Recipients - the Nereid Study," using the Cynata's Cymerus™ mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Researchers anticipate that MSCs may help reduce renal graft rejection and the need for antirejection drugs.

According to the press release, Ton Rabelink, head of the department of internal medicine of LUMC, will be the study’s principal investigator. The study intends to recruit ten renal transplant patients to test MSCs in an open-label, non-randomized, non-blinded, phase 1b trial.

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) states that as of November 1, 2022, 31,711 organ transplants have been done in the United States this year. Every organ transplant requires patients to be on antirejection drugs following the procedure. These antirejection medications have side effects ranging from weight gain to tremors.

Beyond the side effects associated with antirejection medication, medication costs place an immense financial burden on patients and the healthcare system. According to a publication in Current Transplant Reports, “long-term oral maintenance immunosuppression and other prescription medications can cost patients upward of $2,500.00 per month depending on various factors including the number of prescription medications, insurance coverage, with the average annual cost of medications in the United States reported between $10,000 and $14,000 per patient.”

Considering the physical and financial burden of transplants, specifically antirejection drugs, methods to reduce strains are very sought after. The press release announcing the pending clinical trial states that previous clinical trials have found promise in using mesenchymal stem cells to enable the withdrawal of antirejection drugs.

"This exciting new collaboration follows auspicious clinical trial data with MSCs published by Professor Rabelink and our own published pre-clinical data in organ transplant rejection. The potential to enhance survival of transplanted donor organs while at the same time reducing or eliminating the need for damaging anti-rejection drugs would be a substantial breakthrough in transplantation medicine. We are delighted to be working with one of Europe's leading transplant centers and with Professor Rabelink and his team to conduct this important clinical trial," stated Ross Macdonald, PhD, Cynata's Chief Executive Officer, in the press release.