Ocata Therapeutics

Ocata Therapeutics, originally named Advanced Cell Technology, pioneered the first clinical investigation using human embryonic stem cell derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) to treat retinal diseases including Stargardts Macular Degeneration (SMD) and Geographic Atrophy (GA), secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The cell line generated by the company is named MA09-hRPE.

In Phase 1/2 clinical trials MA09-hRPE cells were administered in suspension form beginning in April 2011 and completed in 2017 in eye centers in the United States, United Kingdom and South Korea (Clinicaltrial.gov identifiers: UK-SMD: NCT01469832; US-SMD: NCT01345006; US-AMD: NCT01344993).

In 2014, Advanced Cell Technology changed its company name to Ocata Therapeutics.

In 2016, Astellas Pharma completed a tender offer to purchase Ocata Therapeutics through its subsidiary, Laurel Acquisition Inc., and Ocata Therapeutics became a subsidiary of Astellas. In 2018, the company changed its name to Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine (AIRM).The company’s main area of focus became the development of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigmented epithelial cells (RPEs) for treatment of multiple types of macular degeneration. In a strategy to expand beyond ophthalmology and overcome the challenge of immunological rejection of transplanted cells, Astellas acquired Universal Cells and combined technologies of AIRM and Universal Cells.

Ocata Therapeutics acquired patents on the preparation and use of hemangio-colony forming cells, erythroid cells from pluripotent stem cells, platelets from pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, photoreceptor cells, RPE cells and pluripotent stem cells as well as modalities to treat degenerative diseases of the retina. Biologist Robert Lanza is named as inventor on all patents and is Head of Astellas Global Regenerative Medicine and Chief Scientific Officer at the Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine.