Artgen Biotech (MOEX: ABIO) has entered into an investment agreement with the developer of gene-activated materials, Histograft, according to which it will invest in the development of 5 new medical products for tissue engineering, and the consolidated share of the Artgen Biotech group in Histograft will increase to 64%.
According to the agreement signed, investments in the amount of RUB 40 mln will be used to complete preclinical studies of medical devices and expand the indications for the first product launched on the market. The parties also agreed on investment banking support from the Artgen Biotech ecosystem to raise investments from external investors in the capital market for the subsequent stages of the company’s developments emplementation and the arrangement of pilot production.
The total amount of Artgen Biotech's investments in Histograft since 2020 has amounted to more than RUB 90 mln.
Histograft is a Skolkovo resident, a pioneer in the development and introduction into clinical practice of gene-activated materials for the regeneration of "hard" and "soft" tissues. The company has created a unique technological platform, protected by international patents, on the basis of which it is developing a line of implantable medical products in various forms (granules, gels, membranes, personalized implants), consisting of biocompatible materials and nucleic acid molecules - "matrices" for temporary synthesis of therapeutic protein, indicated for the regeneration of various tissues. Gene-activated matrices are an innovative scientific and technical direction, developed and introduced into clinical practice for the first time in the world by the Histograft team together with Artgen Biotech and the Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The first product, Histograft, is intended for bone tissue regeneration. It became the first product in this class in the world approved for clinical use. The material consists of octacalcium phosphate granules coated with plasmid DNA molecules containing the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene. The granules serve as a matrix for the formation of bone tissue, and DNA enhances blood supply and regeneration of bone tissue in the surgical area. The material simplifies bone grafting, minimizes the use of the patient’s own bone tissue, and takes treatment results to a whole new level.
Histograft has been used in clinical practice for bone grafting since 2020, with more than 3,500 patients treated to date. The company is currently working on conducting research on the use of Histograft in various areas of surgery.
In 2023, Histograft began clinical studies of gene-activated osteoplastic material for the treatment of patients with degenerative diseases of the spine.
Artgen Biotech is a biotechnology company with a portfolio of innovative platform developments to implement in healthcare. The Artgen Biotech group includes companies at different stages of development - from the seed stage to the stage of early growth and maturity, as well as companies that form an ecosystem for accelerating biotech developments in the group.