Innovative Partnerships Advance Cell and Gene Therapy Breakthroughs
For more than two decades, ClinImmune Cell & Gene Therapy (ClinImmune) at Fitzsimons Innovation Community has been blazing trails in the field of organ and stem cell transplantation. The organization’s unique approach to leveraging its leadership position contributes to Colorado’s momentum in this growing space.
An academic and clinical biotech component of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz), ClinImmune’s unique expertise in Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) gene analysis supports clinical transplantation and research in Colorado, across the U.S., and abroad. Led by industry expert Brian Freed, PhD, ClinImmune’s longevity, track record of proven success, and two FDA licenses attract health innovators ready to advance their innovations to the next stage.
“ClinImmune is one of the best kept secrets in the industry, with deep knowledge in taking novel therapies through phase I and phase II trials and beyond,” said Brian Hart, COO and Co-Founder of RheumaGen which licenses ClinImmune technology. “ClinImmune’s decades of resources, talent, and processes set Colorado apart—this infrastructure is not something you can build overnight.”
Born out of ClinImmune’s expertise in gene editing technology, RheumaGen is a preclinical cell and gene therapy company developing cures for autoimmune diseases by attacking them at their source: the HLA gene. Through a novel public-private research model, RheumaGen leverages the ClinImmune footprint and IP to advance its revolutionary lead therapy for refractory rheumatoid arthritis.
“It’s a different way of starting companies from the traditional model,” says Hart. “The mission with CU Anschutz fuels a true partnership focused on working together to develop life-changing cures for patients.”
ClinImmune’s expertise is invaluable for helping medical scientists navigate the regulatory and approvals process for this burgeoning field. The company actively supports more than 20 cell therapy trials at Fitzsimons Innovation Community using stem cells and cell therapies.
“We’re seeing a lot of advancements in cell and gene therapy coming out of research institutions that understand how to translate nascent research and development,” said April Giles, VP Business Development, Fitzsimons Innovation Community. “The FDA places trust in academic enterprises that have expertise in taking those early scientific learnings and progressing them through the approval process.”