There is a growing consensus within the scientific community that adult stem cells are present in many of the body’s tissues, and that these stem cells play a critical role in the maintenance and renewal of organs and the response to injury. 

At Fate Therapeutics, biologists, chemists, and clinicians have united to develop a novel platform for the commercialization of stem cell medicines – one that is focused on the modulation of adult stem cells, rather than the use of stem cells derived from human embryos, and the use of conventional small molecule pharmaceuticals in vivo rather than the application of embryonic cell therapy (which focuses on the generation of cells in the laboratory). 

Additionally, Fate Therapeutics is commercializing an exciting new area of biotechnology research – cell reprogramming – where adult stem cells are transformed to an embryonic-like state for direction and control of cell fate.

The company’s modulation program is focused on awakening adult stem cells resident within the body, and completely obviates the need for cell therapies and cells from an embryonic source.  In published and unpublished work, company founders – along with their collaborators – have demonstrated it is possible to modulate adult stem cells in vivo for disease treatment and healing.

  • The growth of neural stem cells can be increased to improve the memory and learning ability of rats;
  • The regeneration of appendages and limbs can be enhanced in models of traumatic injury and amputation;
  • The proliferation of neuronal precursor cells can be increased to restore a normal number of proliferating neurons in a mouse model of Down’s syndrome;
  • Tissues can be protected from damage as a result of radiation and chemotherapy;
  • The replication of cancer stem cells, which are believed to be responsible for metastasis, can be arrested; and
  • The number of hematopoietic stem cells as well as their ability to engraft can be increased in models of cord blood transplant.

In its reprogramming initiative, Fate Therapeutics is using small molecules to induce the formation of embryonic-like cells from adult human tissue.  In contrast to recent advancements in which researchers were able to transform a mature human cell to an embryonic-like state through the use of epigenetic transcription factors, Fate’s platform does not rely on materials causing genetic manipulations, and enables the generation of patient-identical replacement tissue and organs on an as-needed basis. 

The implications of this initiative are far-reaching:  When commercialized, Fate’s use of adult stem cells and its non-epigenetic technology platform would obviate the need for embryonic stem cells, putting an end to the decade-long ethical dilemma and debate surrounding their use.

 

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