Social implement Laboratories

Metcela Inc.

Introduction

~Revolutionizing the Way We Treat Heart Failure~
Metcela is a clinical stage biotech startup in Japan, developing an innovative cell therapy for heart failure using a specific population of fibroblasts found in the heart, called “VCFs” or VCAM-1-positive cardiac fibroblasts. The efficacy of VCF technology has been examined in heart failure animal models.

Laboratory Head

Takahiro Iwamiya
Co-CEO, Co-founder

Company Overview

Metcela is a pre-clinical stage biotech startup in Japan. At Metcela, we are developing an innovative, clinically viable and effective cell therapy for heart failure using a specific population of fibroblasts found in the heart, called “VCFs” or VCAM-1-positive cardiac fibroblasts.

Novel Cell Therapy for Heart Failure through True Regeneration

Our approach to heart failure therapy is quite unique from other technologies that attempt to simply replenish cardiomyocytes in the infarcted areas. Instead, we aim to stimulate pre-existing endogenous cardiomyocytes to regenerate damaged cardiac tissue by re-establishing favorable microenvironments with VCFs.

The efficacy of VCF technology has been examined in heart failure models in rats and pigs. When human VCFs were directly injected into nude rat heart failure model, ejection fraction (EF) was improved by over 25%, compared to the control cohort injected only with cell culture medium.

Team

Metcela was founded by two co-founders, who have extensive experience in their separate field. Takahiro Iwamiya, Ph.D, with organ regeneration and bioengineering background, leads the R&D team. Kenichi Nogami, with extensive banking and financing experience, is responsible for all business matters at Metcela. Metcela also has a strong group of external advisors both in Japan and the U.S. to support business, science and clinicals.