Stem Cell Institute at the University of Miami Wins Its First Pact Contract

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The Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has been awarded the prestigious National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) contract for the Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies (PACT) – Cell Processing Facilities (CPFs). ISCI was selected from the country’s most qualified applicants, and will play a key role in the manufacturing of stem cells and in furthering stem cell research in the U.S. The NHLBI has awarded the PACT program for the development of clinical manufacturing protocols and production of novel biological cell therapies for use in pre-clinical studies in support of Investigational New Drug (IND) applications. Not only has ISCI earned the PACT contract, but they are the only center in the country to ever receive two other major contracts from the NHLBI related to stem cell research. These include Specialized Centers for Cell-Based Therapy (SCCT), Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN) and now PACT.

“We are extremely proud and excited to be able to continue our work in cell therapy,” said Joshua Hare, M.D., the Louis Lemberg Professor of Medicine, founding Director of ISCI. “Earning not just one, but three of the NHLBI major awards is a huge accomplishment for our team and we are honored to be one of the five chosen Cell Processing Facilities for the PACT program.”

Working in tandem with Dr. Hare, ISCI’s Executive Director of Lab operations Aisha Khan has been instrumental in developing ISCI into a world class Cell Processing Facility in a short period of less than three years.

“The award of this prestigious contract is a testament to the hard work and expertise of the ISCI team in the research arena of cellular therapy products,” said Khan.

The objective of the PACT program is to continue to advance cellular therapy research in the areas of regeneration of damaged and diseased tissues, organs, biologic systems, and targeted treatments for serious diseases without effective therapies. This award is given to five geographically dispersed Cell Processing Facilities and one Coordinating Center in the United States. ISCI’s role as a CPF will be to serve investigators of the scientific community as performance centers for research related to cellular therapies as well as manufacturers of those cellular therapy products.

For more information, please visit http://isci.med.miami.edu/.

 

 

About Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute
The Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI), founded in 2008 at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is on the cutting-edge of translating stem cell therapies. ISCI is national a leader in conducting clinical trials using stem cells, and has executed research in conjunction with universities and top scientists around the country. ISCI’s goal is to spearhead cell-based therapies for a host of untreatable diseases. Its focus includes research in basic cell biology, hematology, oncology, cardiology, dermatology, diabetes and endocrinology, neurology, orthopedics, pediatrics, and ethics and science policy. ISCI’s physician-scientists are dedicated to rapidly applying knowledge of stem cell biology to advance therapies for hard-to-treat diseases in an ethical and rigorous manner. In addition to research, ISCI is a national cell manufacturing facility, providing cells for the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN). ISCI is a newly named NHLBI PACT center and has supplied cells to allow numerous other researchers to conduct important work.


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