Regenerative medicine refers to preservation and/or repair of core organ function through therapeutic intervention. Unlike classic therapeutics or devices that serve to reduce organ workload or alleviate symptoms, regenerative medicine is propelling medicine into an era where we will be able to treat disease at a causative level. The regenerative medicine opportunity is estimated at $4 billion and is growing at a rate of compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.5% (Regenerative Medicine Market, 2006 Frost & Sullivan).

The first generation of proposed regenerative therapies focused on harvesting a patient’s cells from one part of the body and redelivering them to the damaged organ. While the strategy has proven clinically compelling, it has proven commercially challenging. Cell-based therapies are expensive and will only be available through hospitals with advanced, state-of-the art clinical facilities capable of harvesting these cells – which makes them largely unattainable by the general population.

Focusing on the second generation of regenerative therapies, Juventas is developing biopharmaceuticals that activate the natural repair process that occurs after an injury. This strategy distills cell therapy down to the specific factors that drive therapeutic effects, such as SDF-1 and MCP-3. A biopharmaceutical approach to regenerative medicine provides a cost effective, regulatory friendly, logistically manageable therapy compared to existing cellular platforms. Beyond the cardiovascular indications, SDF-1 has the potential to address several unmet clinical needs and develop into a platform therapy.