The Phycomer Bead and CellBead Technology
Phycomer Bead™
Our core technology is the Phycomer Bead biomedical polymer system. Products in development include dermal filler beads for aesthetic treatments; and our Drug-Eluting Bead product – CellBeads®, which are cells from our proprietary mesanchymal stem cell line, encapsulated in Phycomer material.
The Phycomer Bead has three properties that are essential for biomedical applications:
Biocompatibility
The Phycomer Bead is not recognised by the host's immune system. It is non-toxic and non-immunogenic.
Stability
Both technologies (Phycomer Bead and CellBead) are stable for more than one year in vivo; but a biodegradability feature can be designed into specific products (for example, for drug delivery, temporary embolisation and aesthetic treatment products).
Functionality
The Phycomer Bead provides the three dimensional structure that is essential for CellBeads. They protect the cells physically from the host’s immune system and yet are permeable by nutrients and oxygen, as well as by the therapeutic substances produced by the cells.
CellBeads®
The CellBeads are micro-implants. Stem cells are engineered to express peptide or protein molecules that will treat a specific disease. These molecules cannot be effectively delivered in the indications we are researching by the use of conventional drug delivery technology. The reasons for this might include inadequate protein half-life, excessive toxicity at a therapeutic dose or failure to pass the blood-brain barrier.
The problem cannot be overcome by simply transplanting allogenic cells which would express the selected protein, because they will be rejected by the host’s immune system. This can be avoided by continuous immunosuppression but this in turn is likely to cause significant complications.
The feasibility of the physical immuno-isolation concept has been proven in numerous transplantations of cells in pre-clinical models as well as in humans; and this has been recorded in the scientific literature where there are many references to the delivery of proteins by encapsulated cell systems. Molecules delivered include Erythropoietin, Clotting Factor VIII and IX, Endostatin and Human Growth Hormone.
The lead programme from the CellBead technology is CellBead Neuro. Other programmes are in development.
CellMed's lead protein compound is a proprietary patented GLP1 (Glucagon Type Protein).
