Nextgen, a biotech company of the Human Stem Cell Institute group (HSCI, MOEX: ISKJ), became a resident of the Lomonosov Cluster of the Vorobyovy Gory MSU Innovative Technology Research Center (ITRC).
On January 25, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin led the grand opening of the new cluster and met representatives of resident companies. The Lomonosov Cluster is the flagship of ITRC. Its construction began in January 2021 and was completed exactly two years later.
More than 300 companies expressed interest in becoming residents of the ITRC, Russia’s largest technological research project, 44 were shortlisted, 25 of them received this status.
The Lomonosov Cluster will offer its residents with a full range of services needed to develop high-tech projects, including startup acceleration, patenting of innovative high-tech solutions, and attracting venture investments.
ITRC residents will enjoy the most best taxation and regulation conditions. Residents’ projects will be exempt from most taxes for 10 years, including property tax, profit tax and VAT (for annual revenues of up to RUB 1 billion). Insurance contributions to state budgets will be reduced to 14%.
Nextgen’s director Sergey Dale told Vladimir Putin and Sergey Sobyanin about the company’s developments and plans. In particular, about the Neovasculgen gene therapy drug for the treatment of lower limb ischemia. This is the world’s first gene therapy drug based on the “therapeutic angiogenesis” mechanism (therapeutic vessel growth) registered in Russia. The drug was approved by the Ministry of Health and is included in the essential drug list, national guidelines, federal diagnosis-related groups, Moscow’s compulsory medical insurance program and is actively used in medical practice. The use of the drug in patients with chronic ischemia stimulates the growth of the vascular network and reduces ischemia symptoms.
As Neovasculgen is designed to treat tissue ischemia, the drug has the potential to treat other diseases that require a vascular density increase. Currently, Nextgen is focused on expanding the indications of the drug. The company is conducting clinical trials of Neovasculgen for the treatment of diabetic foot syndrome (DFS), and is preparing for a clinical trial for the treatment of interstitial cystitis.