Pre-Myelinating Oligodendrocytes

We have developed a novel three-stage protocol that uses only small molecules to make human oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) of the forebrain from human (non-embryo) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Published protocols in the scientific literature use proteins and require 50-90 days while we attain OPC commitment in less than ten days.

Oligodendrocytes can be used to accelerate the drug discovery process for treatments of multiple sclerosis (MS), leukodystrophies, cerebral palsy, and Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease.

MGE-PVALB+ Interneurons

Trailhead Biosystems, Inc. offers PVALB+ GABAergic interneurons from iPSC cultures. These cells offer the opportunity for investigations of structural and functional abnormalities in cortical inhibitory neurons for drug discovery, human disease modeling, and more.

Cortical interneurons of the CNS play a key role in regulation of neural signaling in the brain and inappropriate function of these cells leads to uncoordinated neuronal firing and therefore multiple neuronal diseases such as epilepsy and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.

Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons

We have developed a novel three-stage protocol that uses only small molecules to make human dopaminergic neurons of the midbrain from human (non-embryo) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Our protocol achieves full cell differentiation in only 9 days.

By comparison, published protocols in the scientific literature use proteins and require 50-90 days for full differentiation.

Our dopaminergic neurons can be used to accelerate the drug discovery process for treatments of Parkinson’s Disease.

Medium Spiny Neurons

We are currently developing a novel protocol that will use only small molecules to make human medium spiny neurons from human (non-embryo) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

We will use our medium spiny neurons as the foundation for a cell transplantation therapy for treating Huntington’s Disease, which we are developing.

Vascular Leptomeningeal Cells (VLMCs)

Trailhead Biosystems, Inc. offers committed vascular leptomeningeal cells from iPSC cultures. VLMCs are fibroblast-like cells found at the interface between astrocytes and endothelium covering brain and spinal cord. They express oligodendrocyte genes such as PDGFRa and NG2, as well as DCN, LUM and COL1A1. These cells form a protective layer around CNS and are involved in migration and proliferation of neuronal cells by providing membrane proteins such as laminins and collagens and developmental proteins such as retinoic acid and BMPs.

Endothelial Cells

We are developing human endothelial cells from human (non-embryo) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Our novel protocol will allow us to make endothelial cells at scale.

We will make our endothelial cells available for drug discovery, organ or tissue printing, high throughput or high content screening, toxicity and efficacy testing, and human disease modeling.

Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes)

We are developing human red blood cells (Erythrocytes) from human (non-embryo) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in a two-step process (iPSCs to HSCs and HSCs to Erythrocytes).

Our novel protocols will use small molecules to make red blood cells, which will allow the production of red blood cells at scale.

We will use our red blood cells as the foundation for a cell therapy for the treatment of blood loss and various blood diseases and disorders, which we are developing.

LT-Hematopoietic Stem Cells

We are developing human long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) from human (non-embryo) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

HSCs are rare subsets of hematopoietic cells that are responsible for the life-long production of all blood cell lineages, and for the reconstitution of bone marrow (BM) after transplantation into myeloablative recipients.

We will use our LT-HSCs cells as the foundation for cell therapy for bone marrow failure, which we are developing, in particular, as a cell replacement therapy — in lieu of a bone marrow transplant — for patients whose bone marrow stems cells have been permanently damaged or destroyed.

Pancreatic Insulin Producing Cells (Beta Cells)

We have developed a novel protocol that uses only small molecules to make dorsal pancreatic insulin-producing cells (beta cells) from human (non-embryo) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

By comparison, published protocols in the scientific literature are more complex and use proteins, which results in significantly greater costs.

We will make our pancreatic insulin-producing cells available for drug discovery, organ or tissue printing, high throughput screening, high content screening, toxicity testing, efficacy testing, and human disease modeling

We will use our pancreatic insulin-producing cells as the foundation for a cell therapy for treating Type I Diabetes, which we are developing.