HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- IPS HEART, a privately held cell therapy company advancing its stem cell platform to develop new skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle generation treatments for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (a rare disease) and heart failure, today announced the peer-reviewed publication of in vivo and in vitro study with its GIVI-MPC stem cell therapy candidate in this month’s issue of Cells (volume 12, issue 14). The study, “Chemokine/ITGA4 Interaction Directs iPSC-Derived Myogenic Progenitor Migration to Injury Sites in Aging Muscle for Regeneration,” demonstrated GIVI-MPC stem cell therapy’s ability to successfully differentiate and create new human skeletal muscle in extremely aged 18-month aged mice for sarcopenia repair.

Sarcopenia is characterized by muscle mass loss and function decline with age and poses a threat to the quality of lifelong health as well as the general well-being of the elderly population. Weaker muscles with low mass and function are likely more susceptible to muscle damage and injury. Studies suggest that muscle mass decreases by about 3 to 8 percent by decade after age 30. Thus far, there is no effective therapeutic approved for muscle loss during aging.

“During aging, increased inflammation and oxidative damages in skeletal muscle tissues occur,” said Rauf Ashraf, Chief Executive Officer of IPS HEART. “Given that GIVI-MPCs possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, and exhibit superior migration characteristics, GIVI-MPCs administered in 18-month aged NSG mice resulted in significant improved muscle regeneration, with hindlimb grip strength doubling and an over 30% reduction in fibrosis. We are thrilled with these significant results and are even more pleased that GIVI-MPC has been featured in a second peer reviewed publication.”

IPS HEART previously reported that GIVI-MPC developed into new human skeletal muscle, and reduced fibrosis & necrosis upon transplantation in dystrophic mice and pigs. In the current publication, successful delivery via IV/systemic delivery and direct injection were both achieved as well as new skeletal muscle generation with full length human dystrophin developed in 16-month aged dystrophic mice. This development further validates the idea that the Company’s therapeutic candidate may not only slow the rate of decline as gene therapy approaches aim for, but more importantly can potentially help reverse Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in both young and older DMD patients.

Heart disease continues to kill more people annually than all forms of cancer combined. IPS HEART’s first stem cell therapeutic (ISX9-CPC) helps longevity by creating new heart functional heart muscle and when paired with GIVI-MPC, new skeletal muscle can be created for sarcopenia thus providing tangible aging therapeutics for improved longevity.

About IPS HEART

IPS HEART is advancing its stem cell platform to develop new skeletal & cardiac muscle generation therapies.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230724953302/en/