 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
Cytomatrix |
|
A Novel Three Dimensional Matrix System for the Production of Immune Cells |
||
| Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Phase II SBIR This Phase II project will use Cytomatrix's unique, three dimensional hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) preservation biomatrix, Cellfoam, to produce immune cells from HSCs for use as countermeasures against pathogens encountered both naturally and in biological weapons. Cytomatrix's pilot Cellfoam system, developed in Phase I, offers tremendous opportunity to generate cellular vaccines and antidotes to meet pre-exposure and post-exposure needs. Phase I demonstrated that Cellfoam enables the cytokine-mediated differentiation of targeted hematopoietic lineages, including multiple types of white blood cells. Cellfoam also promotes the long-term survival and expansion of multipotent HSCs in the absence of exogenously supplemented cytokines. These properties provide the foundation for a system that produces functional immune cells from a stable reservoir of self renewing HSCs. Using the Cellfoam system, Phase II will address the following tasks:
The production of neutrophils for non-specific acute treatment and dendritic cells for specific, long-lived, pre-exposure immunizations and post-exposure treatments will serve as effective countermeasures to biological agents. |
||||
