Investment for nerve engineering spinout

The UCL Technology Fund, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund, alongside support from Innovate UK, have invested in spinout company Glialign, which is developing a novel cell therapy for peripheral nerve repair. 

An undisclosed sum has been won by the company based on the work of Dr James Phillips, of the UCL School of Pharmacy, and his team at the UCL Centre for Nerve Engineering, who have developed an allogeneic cell therapy for the repair of peripheral nerve injury called Engineered Neural Tissue (‘EngNT’). The technology will provide a living nerve-growth guide that mimics nerve structure, and has the potential to enable both neural regeneration and functional recovery.

Glialign CEO, John Sinden commented: “A key translational milestone was achieved following the completion of a collaborative grant with ReNeuron and TAP Biosystems (now Sartorious Stedim Biotech), bringing together EngNT technology with clinically validated neural stem cells from ReNeuron and manufacturing technologies from TAP. Early validation of this technology combination has recently been published. The award of an Innovate UK Investment Accelerator grant will demonstrate the clinical potential of EngNT and its commercial viability.”

Hundreds of thousands of people every year are affected by severe peripheral nerve damage, resulting in paralysis and loss of sensation, often accompanied by chronic pain. Dr Phillips said: “By controlling the natural ability of cells to organise themselves within soft materials we are able to generate living artificial tissues that can be used to support and guide nerve regeneration. Glialign uses EngNT made with cells developed in collaboration with ReNeuron that are suitable as an off-the-shelf therapy for the immediate treatment of patients with nerve injuries.”