MIDA Biotech, a company active in gene and cell therapy innovation and personalized therapy, settles at Leiden Bio Science Park (LBSP), the largest Life Sciences and Health cluster in the Netherlands and one of Europe’s leading innovation hubs.

MIDA Biotech is focusing on research and development in the field of stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine. The company is affiliated with Orgenesis, a pioneering global biotech firm developing personalized therapies for critical medical conditions. Orgenesis is committed to bringing cell and gene therapies to the market to treat, prevent or cure serious health issues like cancer, genetic disorders, immunodeficiencies, rare diseases, and more.

Making regenerative medicine more accessible to patients in the Benelux

The synergy between MIDA and Orgenesis offers great advantages in gene and cell therapy treatments. MIDA Biotech is active in the research & development of the stem cell production process, whereas Orgenesis is focusing on therapy and technology development through their unique Cell & Gene Therapy Biotech Platform. Orgenesis is setting up this platform to provide life changing treatments through a Point of Care network, which is a novel approach aimed at solving the temporal and logistical hurdles of cell therapy manufacturing and treatment.

The collaboration between MIDA and Orgenesis is contributing to the Point of Care network. Working with this platform promises to reduce the cost of these therapies as the technology allows production of personalized cell base therapies in a rapid, standardized, and automated manner.

A fertile ground for stem cell innovation in Leiden

In the field of regenerative medicine, the use of stem cells is a promising approach for a multitude of therapies aimed at repairing and replacing damaged cells and potentially even organs. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are cells that can be differentiated into any cell type of the body and hold significant potential to cure health problems including degenerative diseases, cancer, diseases associated to conventional cancer treatment and defective tissues. However, current methodologies are very expensive and therefore prohibit standardized production of a person’s own (autologous) iPSCs. Instead, currently allogeneic cells, i.e. cells that are created from donors that match larger populations on the most important immune factors, are used. However, this allogeneic cell matching is not fully comprehensive and therefore will almost always be accompanied by immunosupression and/or risk of rejection. As a result, the therapeutic potential of these cells is limited.

MIDA Biotech focuses on developing processes to ensure the cost-effective production of autologous iPSCs to fully realize the regenerative potential of these cells.

To facilitate this endeavour, MIDA Biotech, together with its collaborators including Leiden University, has been awarded a grant of €4 million, under the European Innovation Council Pathfinder Challenge Program, supporting cutting-edge science and technology to create new market opportunities. The grant is aimed at the development of technologies enabling production of autologous induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using microfluidic technologies and artificial intelligence (AI). The technologies are expected to speed production of personalized iPSCs, while significantly reducing manufacturing cost.

“The Leiden Bio Science Park is an excellent operating base where we can find local collaborators in novel cell therapies with medical centers throughout the Netherlands and Europe,” said Malin Stridh, General Manager of MIDA Biotech B.V. “At the moment MIDA is at the R&D stage. In a few years we are hoping to offer solutions for autologous iPSC manufacturing. We are also excited to work closely with Orgenesis to bring our joined offerings to the patients through the Point of Care platform.”

Home to over 150 companies, the Leiden Bio Science Park’s ecosystem comprises innovative companies, leading research institutes and academic excellence. LBSP´s environment provides MIDA with access to human talent, a culture of innovation and scientific knowledge.

Together with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency, Lissa Culbertson Boxy, Senior Account Manager Life Sciences & Health, InnovationQuarter, assisted MIDA Biotech to establish its laboratory in Leiden. “MIDA Biotech, an affiliated company of Orgenesis, is a valuable and exciting addition to the Leiden Bio Science Park, due to its focus on stem cell research and regenerative medicine innovation and its lead in the collaborative €4 million euro research grant with Leiden University and other collaborators. The Netherlands is a frontrunner in the field of regenerative medicine and this is especially true for the Leiden Bio Science Park.”

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