Stempeutics Research, a group company of Manipal  Education and Medical Group and a joint venture with Cipla Group, announces that the United States Patent and Trademarks Office (USPTO) granted a US process patent for its novel stem-cell based drug Stempeucel.

Stempeucel will initially be used for the treatment  of Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI) and is a breakthrough treatment option which directly addresses the root cause of the disease, unlike other drugs which typically treat the symptoms and not the disease itself.

CLI is a progressive form of peripheral arterial disease, which blocks the arteries in the lower extremities, resulting into reduction of the blood flow. It is a debilitating disease which affects patients with severe pain in the feet or toes. Insufficient supply of blood flow results into the development of sores and wounds in legs and feet. If left untreated, patients may finally have to undergo amputation of the affected limb as the last treatment
option.

In the US, the most common current treatments for CLI are characterised by high rates of primary amputations, multiple procedures and high rates of procedure-related complications. In such cases, the disease not only affects the quality of life but also increases the economic burden of patients.

B N Manohar, chief executive officer, Stempeutics said, “The patent
 granted by USPTO is a strong recognition for Stempeutics for its sustained excellence of scientific and clinical work and underscores the global leadership in allogeneic, pooled MSC technology. We believe that the Stempeucel product is a game-changer offering an advanced therapeutic treatment for millions of patient suffering with this dreadful disease.”
 
Chandru Chawla Head Cipla New Ventures says, “Through Cipla Group’s investment in Stempeutics, we are demonstrating a firm commitment bringing the next generation of biologics in order to address unmet medical needs. With this novel Stempeucel technology,
 we are supporting Stempeutics discovery of this first-of-its-kind regenerative medicine.”

Stempeutics has already submitted its applications to Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to obtain marketing authorisation approval for Stempeucel. The availability of the product in  the market is subjected to DCGI approvals.