AiPSC consortium awarded €4M European Innovation Council Pathfinder Grant

The AiPSC consortium has been approved to receive a grant of €4 million, under the European Innovation Council Pathfinder Challenge Program, supporting cutting-edge science and technology in order to create new market opportunities. The grant is aimed at the development of technologies enabling production of autologous induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using microfluidic technologies and artificial intelligence (AI). The technologies are expected to speed production of personalized iPSCs, while significantly reducing manufacturing cost. The consortium members include MIDA Biotech B.V. (“MIDA”), DeepMed IO, Leiden University and MirCod with MIDA acting as the leading entity.

iPSCs are cells that can be differentiated into any cell type of the body and hold significant potential to cure health problems including degenerative diseases, cancer, cancer therapy associated disease and defective tissues. However, current methodologies are very expensive and therefore prohibit standardized production of a person’s own (autologous) iPSCs. Instead, the currently used strategy is to use allogeneic cells, ie cells that are created from donors that match larger populations on the most important immune factors. However, this allogeneic cell matching is not fully comprehensive and therefore will almost always be accompanied by immunosupressions and/or risk of rejection. As a result, the therapeutic potential of these cells is limited.

Cost effective production of autologous iPSCs is mandatory to fully realize the regenerative potential of these cells and the technologies that will be developed by the consortium members holds the promise of taking a large step in that direction.

HORIZON is the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation. The program facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges.