https://bio.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/news/p1/23/06/27/10855/

Qualipse, a developer of iPS cell-derived cardiomyocyte sheets, was founded in March 2017 based on the research findings of Yoshiki Sawa, a specially-appointed professor at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, and his colleagues. The company is developing iPS cell-derived cardiomyocyte sheets derived from other iPS cells provided from the iPS cell stock of the Kyoto University iPS Cell Research Institute (CiRA), which are formed into sheets after inducing differentiation of other iPS cells into cardiomyocytes and removing undifferentiated cells. After transplantation, the cell sheets are expected to release cytokines and improve the condition of the surrounding tissue through the paracrine effect.

The company is manufacturing iPS cell-derived myocardial cell sheets for transplantation for the investigator-initiated clinical trial being conducted by Professor Sawa and his colleagues for patients with severe ischemic cardiomyopathy, and has a cell culture processing facility (CPC) in Osaka Prefecture. The company has a cell culture processing center (CPC) in Osaka Prefecture. The company completed transplanting the final patient in the investigator-initiated clinical trial by May 19, 2023, and the data is expected to be available as early as September 2023.

Regarding the competitive advantage of the cardiomyocyte sheet developed by the company, the strength of the sheet is that it can be delivered to medical institutions immediately from the manufacturing facility. There is no dependence on the quality of the patient’s cells. Although immunosuppressive drugs must be administered for three months after transplantation, the advantages outweigh this.