| By Emily Easto and Stacey Johnson, CCRM
Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cells
Case study CCRM:
How a Canadian company is building a regenerative medicine industry in Canada by developing ties in the Asia-Pacific region
Michael May, president and CEO of CCRM in Japan signing MOU with Yuzo Toda, Chairman of FIRM, as Min. Chrystia Freeland watches. May 2016.
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omentum has been building within the regenerative medicine industry with cell therapies and other technologies moving closer to commercialization every day. With regulatory changes hastening progress in Japan and research advances happening elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, one Canadian company is looking overseas for opportunities to create jobs and companies here at home, while always being mindful of the patient. Accelerating cell therapy and regenerative medicine commercialization drives CCRM, a federally funded Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research based in Toronto. Through its unique public-private partnership, CCRM’s mission is to capitalize on the commercial potential and curative promise of cell therapies and regenerative medicine technologies. Five years since its launch, CCRM’s focus has become more global and its relationships with countries, such as Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and China, are becoming more important as the organization sources technologies from around the world to advance cell therapies to all markets. The growth has been substantial. To put this in perspective: in 2014, the Asia-Pacific stem cell market was valued at US$7.10 billion and is projected to increase to US$18.71 billion by 2018 at a CAGR of 27.3 per cent.1 Globally, the stem cell therapy mar-
ket is expected to be worth US$40 billion by 2020 and US$180 billion by 2030.1 Canada has a long history with stem cells. Scientists James Till and Ernest McCulloch first discovered stem cells over 50 years ago in Toronto. Ever since, Canadian researchers have remained at the forefront of regenerative medicine research. For example, cancer stem cells and retinal stem cells were discovered here. Enhancing this legacy of scientific excellence and discovery is the collaborative attitude that exists between industry, academia and government. CCRM’s commercialization model combines network building – CCRM has built consortia of academic, industry and investment partners from the global community – unique facilities operated by staff dedicated solely to translation/commercialization, and targeted funding to bundle, de-risk, protect and leverage discoveries into licensable technologies or new companies. Moreover, CCRM’s collaborative and capital-efficient model integrates government support at all levels. CCRM’s business development team conducts due diligence on academic discoveries and its scientists and engineers perform wet diligence, fee-for-service projects and product development in a 6,000 sq. ft. development facility provided by the University of Toronto. By the end of 2016, CCRM will move into 40,000 sq. ft. of new office and lab space at MaRS’ West
Tower in the heart of Toronto’s discovery district. The jewel in the space will be a state-of-the-art centre for accelerating advanced manufacturing solutions for cell therapies, in partnership with GE Healthcare, with a sizeable investment from the federal government. To support the pipeline, CCRM and University Health Network will operate a Good Manufacturing Practices facility, backed by provincial funding. As well, CCRM has a fee-paying industry consortium of more than 45 Canadian and international companies – who range from start-ups to multi-nationals – and represent the key sectors of the regenerative medicine field: therapeutics, devices, reagents, and cells as tools. Lee Buckler is president and CEO at RepliCel Life Sciences Inc. (TSX.V:RP), a Vancouver-based company, which focuses on developing autologous cell therapies to treat conditions that result from a lack of healthy cells in the body. RepliCel has a partnership with Japanese company Shiseido to treat pattern baldness. RepliCel is a member of CCRM’s industry consortium. “There are compelling reasons for Canadian companies to be looking to Asian markets right now,” says Buckler. “RepliCel is concentrating on strategic initiatives in Japan because of its existing partnership with Shiseido Company, Japan’s national commitment to regenerative medicine, and the opportunity for expedited market approval now available there for cell therapies.” October/November 2016 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS 11
