Bengaluru based Stempeutics Research, a group company of Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG), announced that it has partnered with Global Consortium of cell therapy companies seeking European Commission Funding to Fight Against Corona! (FAC!).

Under this partnership, Stempeutics will export its stem cell product Stempeucel® (subject to regulatory approvals) for treating critically ill COVID-19 patients with lung disease. First the product will be clinically tested and upon successful outcomes, it intends to export the product on a regular basis. In this connection it is signing up an alliance with Educell Ltd, Slovenia.

Stempeucel® is an allogeneic, off the shelf, pooled mesenchymal stromal cells having antiinflammatory and immune-modulatory properties which prevents the over activation of the immune system. Stempeucel® product exhibits a wide range of potent therapeutic properties.

The product exhibits potent immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties which could help in reducing the inflammation caused due to the cytokine storm elicited by the body’s immune cells in response to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) related infection in the lungs. Also, the growth factor, Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) is effective in reducing alveolar epithelium permeability in the lung. Hence it is envisaged, Stempeucel® will reduce the fatal symptoms of COVID 19 induced pneumonia and its progression to ARDS.

BN Manohar, CEO of Stempeutics said, “From the clinical data using Stempeucel® in different clinical trialsin other indications it may be postulated that Stempeucel® has the potential capability for treating COVID 19 infection. Together with the safety profile observed from DCGI approved clinical trials involving more than 350 patients injected with Stempeucel® by different routes of injection, this therapy may help in mitigating the lung tissue damaging effects of COVID 19 infection”.