Neural microtissues derived from pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can replace dopaminergic neurons, the nerve cells that are lost in Parkinson’s disease, and restore motor function when grown into tiny capsules and transplanted into the brains of model rats, a study led by TreeFrog Therapeutics found.
“TreeFrog Therapeutics has overcome the most complex challenges of developing a successful treatment for Parkinson’s disease using our C-Stem platform technology and producing a therapy containing mature dopaminergic neurons with a unique 3D format that promotes cell survival post-graft with proven pre-clinical results,” Jens Schroeder, MD, PhD, TreeFrog’s chief medical officer, said in a company press release.
The study, “Bioreactor-produced iPSCs-derived dopaminergic neuron-containing neural microtissues innervate and normalize rotational bias in a dose-dependent manner in a Parkinson rat model,” was published in Neurotherapeutics.