{"id":1645,"date":"2020-07-10T08:33:11","date_gmt":"2020-07-10T13:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/?p=1645"},"modified":"2020-09-28T14:14:49","modified_gmt":"2020-09-28T19:14:49","slug":"m2d2-200k-challenge-finalist-profilagen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/07\/10\/m2d2-200k-challenge-finalist-profilagen\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet a 2020 $200K Challenge Finalist: Profilagen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Although this year&#8217;s challenge will occur virtually, we want to keep the spotlight on this year&#8217;s Finalists. The PitchOff will now take place on September 17th from 5-8pm, with the Award Ceremony happening on October 1st at 5pm. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/2020-m2d2-200k-challenge-pitch-off-awards-celebration-tickets-78510953375\">Registration<\/a> for the $200k Challenge will be free.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.prolifagen.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Profilagen<\/a> is a start-up preclinical LLC bringing forward a technology to regenerate damaged cardiac muscle. We spoke with CEO Claudine Bruck about the inspiration behind Profilagen, and their story so far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2>What was the genesis or inspiration for your idea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2001, my father died of a massive heart attack at age 75\u2014way too early, it was hard to accept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2015, after an exciting and varied career in drug and vaccine development at GlaxoSmithKline, I decided to apply my experience to develop an important medicine as CEO of a startup company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I searched local and other east coast universities for projects that fit my criteria: strong impact on public health, very innovative yet feasible, novel intellectual property, early de-risking points, and importantly, solid scientists behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You cannot imagine my excitement when I finally found a project that fit all those criteria and more: We were going to prevent heart failure in heart attack patients by regenerating the damaged heart (this one is for you, Dad!).&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/07\/Untitled-design-27.png\" alt=\"Leadership Team of Profilagen, a 2020 M2D2 $200K Challenge Finalist.\" class=\"wp-image-1662\" width=\"390\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/07\/Untitled-design-27.png 714w, https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/07\/Untitled-design-27-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/07\/Untitled-design-27-500x213.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 390px) 100vw, 390px\" \/><figcaption>Claudine Bruck, Ph.D., Prof. Ed Morrisey and <br>Prof. Jason Burdick<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We put together a team composed of extraordinary University of Pennsylvania scientists \u2013 among which the inventors of the technology &#8211; to develop a plan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Professor Ed Morrisey had identified that our molecule (miR302) was able to regenerate damaged hearts by promoting the proliferation of cardiac muscle cells.<\/li><li>Professor Jason Burdick had developed a hydrogel-based technology that enabled local administration of miR302 to the cardiac muscle.<\/li><li>Professor Rob Gorman had the expertise to translate the findings from mice to pigs.<\/li><li><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Together, they were going to show cardiac regeneration in pigs and prepare for clinical development  \u2013 our expectations were sky high! Our project had the potential to end a streak of unsuccessful efforts in cardiac regeneration by replacing exogenously delivered stem cells which have shown deficiency of local implantation, by local <em>injection of a single microRNA molecule that directs the proliferation of resident cardiac muscle cells<\/em>, thus overcoming the main shortcoming of stem cell technologies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/121720608617\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/09\/200K-Awards-No-Zoom-1024x512.png\" alt=\"2020 M2D2 $200K Challenge Awards Celebration Thursday Oct. 1\" class=\"wp-image-2034\" width=\"492\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/09\/200K-Awards-No-Zoom.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/09\/200K-Awards-No-Zoom-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/09\/200K-Awards-No-Zoom-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2020\/09\/200K-Awards-No-Zoom-500x250.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 492px) 100vw, 492px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>What are the most significant barriers you\u2019ve faced and overcome?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Finding funding to get us started was challenging. Many VC investors saw the &#8220;very early nature of our endeavor&#8221; as a barrier.&nbsp; Fortunately, we were able to start the pig work with a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the NIH\u2026 we are in business!&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Can you share a \u201cEureka!\u201d moment\u2014a breakthrough in the development of your idea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Very recently,  we reached our first milestone &#8211; incredibly exciting results of massive proliferation of cardiac muscle cells in injured pig hearts. We now know the dose, formulation, mode of administration, location of administration, best timing\u2014<em>this project IS feasible in pigs,<\/em> representing a crucial de-risking step towards clinical development, so watch this space!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>If you win, what\u2019s next?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We are currently working on understanding the biodistribution and pharmacodynamic effect (i.e. miR302-induced cardiomyocyte proliferation) of our microRNA medicine in the pig heart and are nearing completion with excellent data (we are doing this with funding from a NIH-SBIR grant).&nbsp; Winning the contest will allow us to initiate a control\/treatment parallel group study to monitor impact on cardiac function in pigs with induced myocardial infarction, with the aim to detect a clinically meaningful impact.&nbsp; This will serve as a trigger for clinical development activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>We wish Profilagen luck in this year\u2019s $200K Challenge!<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Meet More 2020 $200K Challenge Finalists:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/04\/20\/meet-200k-finalist-arrow-diagnostics\/\" target=\"_blank\">Arrow Diagnostics<\/a><br><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/04\/27\/meet-200k-challenge-finalist-amachumu-bio\/\" target=\"_blank\">Amachumu Bio<\/a><br><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/05\/07\/m2d2-200k-challenge-finalist-craniosense\/\" target=\"_blank\">CranioSense<\/a><br><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/07\/17\/meet-200k-challenge-finalist-cx-therapeutics\/\" target=\"_blank\">Cx Therapeutics<\/a><br><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/08\/14\/meet-200k-challenge-finalist-exonanorna\/\">ExonanoRNA<\/a><br><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/07\/24\/meet-a-200k-finalist-hyalex\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyalex Orthapaedics<\/a><br><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/07\/31\/meet-a-200k-challenge-finalist-microbiomed-corporation\/\">MicroBioMed Corporation <\/a><br><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/08\/26\/meet-a-200k-challenge-finalist-oriel-research-therapeutics\/\">Oriel Research Therapeutics<\/a><br><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/07\/10\/m2d2-200k-challenge-finalist-profilagen\/\" target=\"_blank\">Profilagen<\/a>   <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/lp.constantcontactpages.com\/su\/LNQGmt9\/EmailSignUp\" target=\"_blank\">Subscribe to the M2D2 e-newsletter for twice-weekly updates on funding opportunities, news, and events that can help you advance your innovation and your business.\ufeff<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although this year&#8217;s challenge will occur virtually, we want to keep the spotlight on this year&#8217;s Finalists. The PitchOff will now take place on September 17th from 5-8pm, with the Award Ceremony happening on October 1st at 5pm. Registration for &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/07\/10\/m2d2-200k-challenge-finalist-profilagen\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":328,"featured_media":1662,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1645"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/328"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1645"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1645\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2050,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1645\/revisions\/2050"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}