According to the company, the program’s objective is to further a cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) and to implement its technology – which looks to reprogram human liver cells into glucose-responsive, fully functional Insulin-Producing Cells (IPCs) – on an industrial scale.
Specifically, the grant will help support the GMP production of Autologous Insulin-Producing (AIP) cells for two clinical trials in Germany and Belgium.
Of the approved budget, €3.3m ($3.5m) is set aside for development work at the company’s wholly-owned contract manufacturer and development organization (CDMO), MaSTherCell S.A.
The grant comes from the Walloon Region, Belgium (Service Public of Wallonia, DGO6) – a branch of the Administration of Wallonia, Belgium that develops incentives to boost regional innovation and research.
Vered Caplan, CEO of Orgenesis, commented "We are thankful for the continuing support of from the Walloon Region for our European activity. Through our collaboration with Pall Corporation and MaSTherCell ... our activity in the Walloon Region has been tremendously productive."