2322443
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
SBIR PHASE I: INDUSTRIAL-SCALE TECHNOLOGY FOR DRUG DEVELOPMENT IN MATURE HUMAN FAT CELLS -THE BROADER IMPACT OF THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE I PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE SCALE AND THROUGHPUT OF NOVEL TECHNOLOGY WITH THE POTENTIAL TO ENABLE THE DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEXT-GENERATION THERAPEUTICS FOR OBESITY AND THE ARRAY OF ASSOCIATED MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE AMELIORATED WITH WEIGHT LOSS.
THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD ALSO BE EXPANDED TO THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENT TO ADDRESS OTHER REPRODUCTIVE AND AGEING DISORDERS CHARACTERIZED BY DISEASED FAT CELLS. THIS PROJECT MAY ENABLE DRUG DEVELOPMENT IN HUMAN FAT CELLS AT A PREVIOUSLY UNATTAINABLE QUALITY AND SCALE.
FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS, THE FIRST STAGE OF DRUG DEVELOPMENT IN ADIPOCYTES HAS BEEN LIMITED BY THE LACK OF A TRACTABLE SYSTEM THAT FAITHFULLY REPRODUCES THE CLINICAL FEATURES OF MATURE FAT CELLS. THE TECHNOLOGY IN THIS PROJECT COULD EFFICIENTLY TURN ADULT HUMAN STEM CELLS INTO FAT CELLS AND ACCELERATE THEIR MATURATION THOUSANDS OF TIMES RELATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL METHODS.
ADIPOCYTES GENERATED BY THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY MAY MORE CLOSELY MATCH THE CELLULAR SHAPE AND SIZE, GENE EXPRESSION PROFILE, AND FUNCTION OF MATURE FAT CELLS IN ADULTS. SCALING THE TECHNOLOGY WILL REQUIRE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL DEVICES FOR AUTOMATION AND THE DESIGN AND TESTING OF CUSTOMIZED PROTOCOLS.
SUCCESS WILL BE DETERMINED BY MEASURES OF MANUFACTURING QUALITY CONTROL AND SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF MATURE HUMAN FAT TISSUE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.
- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.
THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD ALSO BE EXPANDED TO THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENT TO ADDRESS OTHER REPRODUCTIVE AND AGEING DISORDERS CHARACTERIZED BY DISEASED FAT CELLS. THIS PROJECT MAY ENABLE DRUG DEVELOPMENT IN HUMAN FAT CELLS AT A PREVIOUSLY UNATTAINABLE QUALITY AND SCALE.
FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS, THE FIRST STAGE OF DRUG DEVELOPMENT IN ADIPOCYTES HAS BEEN LIMITED BY THE LACK OF A TRACTABLE SYSTEM THAT FAITHFULLY REPRODUCES THE CLINICAL FEATURES OF MATURE FAT CELLS. THE TECHNOLOGY IN THIS PROJECT COULD EFFICIENTLY TURN ADULT HUMAN STEM CELLS INTO FAT CELLS AND ACCELERATE THEIR MATURATION THOUSANDS OF TIMES RELATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL METHODS.
ADIPOCYTES GENERATED BY THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY MAY MORE CLOSELY MATCH THE CELLULAR SHAPE AND SIZE, GENE EXPRESSION PROFILE, AND FUNCTION OF MATURE FAT CELLS IN ADULTS. SCALING THE TECHNOLOGY WILL REQUIRE DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL DEVICES FOR AUTOMATION AND THE DESIGN AND TESTING OF CUSTOMIZED PROTOCOLS.
SUCCESS WILL BE DETERMINED BY MEASURES OF MANUFACTURING QUALITY CONTROL AND SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF MATURE HUMAN FAT TISSUE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.
- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "NSF SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR)/ SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAMS PHASE I", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF23515
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Newton,
Massachusetts
02458-1060
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Mellicell was awarded
Project Grant 2322443
worth $275,000
from National Science Foundation in January 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Newton Massachusetts United States.
The grant
has a duration of 8 months and
was awarded through assistance program 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Programs.
SBIR Details
Research Type
SBIR Phase I
Title
SBIR Phase I: Industrial-Scale Technology for Drug Development in Mature Human Fat Cells
Abstract
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to increase the scale and throughput of novel technology with the potential to enable the discovery and development of next-generation therapeutics for obesity and the array of associated medical conditions that can be ameliorated with weight loss. This technology could also be expanded to therapeutic development to address other reproductive and ageing disorders characterized by diseased fat cells.
This project may enable drug development in human fat cells at a previously unattainable quality and scale. For the last 50 years, the first stage of drug development in adipocytes has been limited by the lack of a tractable system that faithfully reproduces the clinical features of mature fat cells. The technology in this project could efficiently turn adult human stem cells into fat cells and accelerate their maturation thousands of times relative to conventional methods. Adipocytes generated by this new technology may more closely match the cellular shape and size, gene expression profile, and function of mature fat cells in adults. Scaling the technology will require development of novel devices for automation and the design and testing of customized protocols. Success will be determined by measures of manufacturing quality control and specific properties of mature human fat tissue.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Topic Code
PT
Solicitation Number
NSF 23-515
Status
(Complete)
Last Modified 1/21/24
Period of Performance
1/15/24
Start Date
9/30/24
End Date
Funding Split
$275.0K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$275.0K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
2322443
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Funding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Awardee UEI
EFGLLLKFX2S7
Awardee CAGE
8N0Q3
Performance District
MA-04
Senators
Edward Markey
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren
Modified: 1/21/24