Collaborating with Sana Biotechnology, our medical facility aims to progress cell-based treatments for neurological ailments.

In a significant development, Sana Biotechnology has entered into an agreement with the University of Rochester Medical Center to expand its manufacturing footprint. This expansion will take place at the University's cell-based manufacturing facility, a good manufacturing practices (GMP) facility certified as compliant with federal guidelines necessary for the production of human cells for scientific investigation and for their use in investigational therapeutics.

The agreement follows the acquisition of Oscine, co-founded by Goldman and Dr. Christina Trojel-Hansen, by Sana Biotechnology in 2020. The acquisition included rights to cell engineering programs focused on brain disorders.

The expansion will support research and development of investigational therapies for diseases such as Huntington's disease, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Sana Biotechnology's focus is on creating and delivering engineered cells as medicines, and this expansion aligns with their goal to repair and control genes in cells or replace missing or damaged cells to solve the underlying cause of many diseases.

The collaboration between Sana and Oscine began in 2018, with a license and option to purchase agreement that included support for research at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Sana named Goldman as its Head of CNS Therapy after the acquisition.

Goldman's lab has demonstrated that replacing impaired or lost glial cells in animal models can slow or reverse the progression of diseases like Huntington's, multiple sclerosis, and childhood leukodystrophies. Sana will develop cell lines, gene-edited cell lines, and differentiated cells intended for use in human clinical trials at the University of Rochester Medical Center's Cell and Tissue Manufacturing Facility (CTMF).

The state-of-the-art facility at UR CTMF offers job opportunities in manufacturing, quality assurance (QA), and quality control (QC). Sana intends to hire up to 10 roles in these areas over the next two years. More information can be found at Sana's career page.

Sana Biotechnology operates in four locations: Rochester, Seattle, Cambridge, and South San Francisco. Their potential medicines target serious diseases such as cancer, type 1 diabetes, central nervous system diseases, heart disease, and various genetic disorders. The partnership between the University of Rochester Medical Center and Sana Biotechnology builds upon decades of research in the lab of Steve Goldman, M.D., Ph.D., whose research has helped redefine understanding of the basic biology and function of important support cells found in the central nervous system.

The planned cell-based manufacturing facility at the University of Rochester Medical Center is set to open in 2025. This expansion is a testament to Sana Biotechnology's commitment to advancing cell therapy and bringing innovative treatments to patients.

Collaborating with Sana Biotechnology, our medical facility aims to progress cell-based treatments for neurological ailments.