UniverCell: Producing more compatible cell lines for generating red blood cells-based therapies

Summary

The Scarlet Therapeutics “UniverCell” study is aiming to produce therapeutic cell lines through a routine blood donation appointment by up to 20 volunteers who are known to have rare blood groups. These cell lines can then be grown indefinately in the laboratory and so can be used to create a sustainable source of red blood cells (RBCs) to treat patients.

To make a cell line a virus is used to introduce proteins into the cells that allow the cells to be maintained in solution forever. The components of the solution the cells are grown in can then be changed to contain growth factors that tell the cells to become red blood cells, and so the cell lines can be grown in large numbers and then be turned into blood cells. Such cell lines may be used for research purposes and to generate new therapies for the treatment of currently poorly treated diseases.

The study aims to advance medical knowledge and potentially contribute to the development of new treatments or therapies for various health conditions.