Novel Biomaterial-based Device for the Treatment of Progressive MS - An Integrated Pan- European Approach (PMSMatTrain)

Basic data for this project

Description

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative condition characterised by demyelination and axonal loss. Currently, there is no cure for this disease, which is associated with significant morbidity. The EU-funded PMSMatTrain project is in the process of developing a medical device that releases a combination of anti-inflammatory molecules and remyelination and neuroprotective drugs. The device employs a biomimetic hyaluronan scaffold and will be tested in disease models in vitro and in vivo, providing at the same time insight into key disease mechanisms. Once manufactured and commercialised, the PMSMatTrain device will offer an easy to apply, disease-modifying therapy for MS. PMSMatTrain is focusing on gaining a comprehensive understanding of the progressive (late degenerative phase) of multiple sclerosis (PMS) from basics to translation, fully supported by 8 beneficiaries (6 research institutions, 2 SMEs). Recruited ESRs will receive compulsory discipline-specific, generic and complementary transferable skills training. PMSMatTrain’s Joint Research Education and Training programme (JRTP) will provide early stage researchers with high quality research and transferable skills training in intellectual property, leadership skills, innovation, regulatory affairs, entrepreneurship, gender policy, and medical device evaluation, which will ensure that they are immediately employable in industry. The consortium will develop a multi-modal hyaluronan-based medical device designed to release small molecular weight anti-inflammatory molecules (APRIL and sPIF) followed by remyelination and neuroprotective drugs (ibudilast and miconazole). PMSMatTrain will for the first time utilise these functionalised multi-modal biomimetic hyaluronan scaffolds as a tool to investigate cross-talk between signals arising due to chronic neuroinflammation and those leading to demyelination and axonal loss, while identifying molecular mechanisms that facilitate remyelination and neuroprotection in PMS. This approach could yield the first cortex-proximal and directed biomaterials-based disease-modifying therapy for PMS. These scaffolds will be tested in state of the art MS patient induced stem cell-derived oligodendrocyte cultures and organotypic cultures to investigate MS pathophysiology. In vivo responses will be characterised using field-leading MRI and mass spectrophotometry protocols. PMSMatTrain will also generate a clinically-relevant in silico model of drug elusion and dispersal within the CNS. Our industry partners will develop the end-device by providing standardised manufacturing protocols for scaled-up production and commercialisation of the cGMP product.