Cell transdifferentiation specialist Mogrify Ltd raises US$16m

The company has developed a unique scalable technology for direct cellular transdifferentiation, based on the FANTOM5 dataset of human regulatory elements for gene expression and characteristic gene expression data of any human cell. Its platform technology transdifferentiates cells without going through a pluripotent stem cell- or progenitor cell-state such as induced pluripotent stem cells. Using small molecule factors and transcription factors, Mogrifiy can directly convert every existing sort of cell into another cell type overcoming the limitations of growth factor-based cellular reprogramming. Scoring gene expression, as well as protein-DNA and protein-RNA interaction networks identifies the relevant transcription factors and transcript levels needed to switch a given cell into a target cell.

Mogrify wants to built on this knowledge to licence cells for the growing markets of cell therapy (estimated to yield US$35bn by 2023) and of industrial bioprocessing and research tools (US$2bn by 2031). Furthermore, the company will internally push the development of cell therapies addressing underserved medical conditions such as cardiac repair and cartilage regeneration and other indications, estimated to be worth US$120bn by 2022 and US$7bn by 2025, respectively. Mogrify’s business strategy includes the plan to form joint ventures in non-core areas.