Development of Neural Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are derived from the central nervous system, where they can self-renew and differentiate into various forms such as neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Because of their ability to differentiate into neurons, NSCs play a unique role in the treatment of neurological disorders. In addition, NSCs secrete various neurotrophic factors through paracrine pathways, contributing to their therapeutic role. With the increasing understanding of neural development and advances in stem cell technology, NSCs are possible to replace specific cells lost in stroke, which provides new avenues for the treatment of stroke.

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of NSC transplantation illustrating multiple therapeutic benefits in ischemic stroke. (Boese et al., 2018)

Our NSC Therapy Development Services

Our drug development team has extensive experience in stem cell biology, neuroscience, and regenerative medicine. Ace Therapeutics offers a comprehensive suite of NSC therapy development services to meet the R&D needs of pharmaceutical companies involved in stroke research.

Development and Characterization of NSCs

We help clients develop multiple types of NSC lines that produce mature neural cell types and test them for identity, stability, and potency. All NSC lines are selected based on their stable NSC phenotype, survival, and in vivo differentiation into relevant cell lineages after screening multiple cell lines in vitro and in vivo. We follow a cell expansion/manufacturing approach through a cell banking process to ensure that NSC lines can be efficiently and safely scaled up at a reasonable cost.

• Embryonic stem cell-derived NSCs
• Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived NSCs

Preclinical Studies of NSC Therapy in Ischemic Stroke

In Vivo Safety Evaluation of NSC Therapy

We provide various assays to evaluate the safety of implanted NSC-derived therapeutic products, including tumorigenicity and biodistribution assessments.

• In vivo biodistribution analysis: We use validated NSC-specific markers and methods, such as immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, or quantitative PCR (qPCR), to monitor the migration and survival of implanted NSCs in vivo.
• Tumorigenicity studies: By implanting a large number of NSCs into immunodeficient mouse strain to provide the best chance of cell survival and to maximize the chance of tumor formation. The duration of the study will vary depending on how long the cells survive.

In Vivo Efficacy Evaluation of NSC Therapy

We offer animal models of stroke to assess the ability of NSC-derived therapeutic products to improve neurological outcomes after stroke. We utilize a range of cutting-edge technologies, including behavioral testing, neuroimaging, BBB integrity assays, and electrophysiological monitoring, to carefully evaluate the impact of NSC therapy on various aspects of neurological function.

Ace Therapeutics offers comprehensive services for developing neural stem cell therapies for stroke, including the evaluation of therapeutic effects, and the exploration of the mechanism of action. If you are interested in our services, please do not hesitate to contact us! 

1. Boese, A. C., et al. (2018). Neural stem cell therapy for subacute and chronic ischemic stroke. Stem cell research & therapy, 9, 1-17.