E!7112, ENLARGE-HIPSCs, Cellevate

Purpose and goal

We will develop a novel solution for large-scale expansion of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) for therapy and research. This combines Cellevate’s Cellevat3d® nanofiber microcarriers with Omni Life Science’s impeller-free CERO 3D Bioreactor. Cellevate will tailor microcarriers for the application, and OLS will scale the bioreactor from 50 to 500 ml. Fraunhofer-IBMT, experts and end-users, will optimize protocols for hiPSC applications.

Expected effects and result

hiPSCs enable drug discovery, disease modeling, and regenerative therapies but require high cell yields, which traditional methods struggle to provide. Combining Cellevate’s nanofiber microcarriers with OLS’s bioreactor can revolutionize the field, delivering exceptional hiPSC yields. This novel solution will advance research, enhance accessibility of hiPSCs for scientists and companies, and ultimately make life-saving treatments available to more patients.

Planned approach and implementation

We use a conventional approach for development, validated by the respective partners in other successful projects. The project is divided into five managerial, scientific- and commercial work packages. In short, these are dedicated to: WP1 - Project management WP2 - Microcarrier development, optimization and validation WP3 - Bioreactor development WP4 - Development of standardized protocols for effective expansion of hiPSCs WP5 - Market access, dissemination and communication