ExCellThera is a Montreal cell-therapy company that uses the small molecule UM171 to multiply blood stem cells from cord blood, making transplants possible for patients who would otherwise lack a donor.
ExCellThera was spun out of Université de Montréal around UM171, a molecule discovered in Guy Sauvageau's laboratory that expands haematopoietic stem cells in culture. Its product, dorocubicel (ECT-001, UM171-expanded cord blood), lets a small cord blood unit be grown into a graft for adults with high-risk blood cancers who lack a matched donor. Phase 2 trials in acute leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes have reported low rates of chronic graft-versus-host disease and relapse.
Zemcelpro is a laboratory-expanded umbilical cord blood transplant for adults with blood cancers who need a donor stem cell transplant but have no suitable matched donor; expanding the cells lets a single small cord blood unit be enough.