STEM-MYO: Targeting Muscle Atrophy

Immunis Scientific Advisory Board member, Professor Micah Drummond, published preclinical research in GeroScience supporting that Immunis’ investigational multi-active biologic (IMM01-STEM) improved muscle mass and strength during disuse and recovery in aged mouse models. 

Aged mice received intramuscular injections of IMM01-STEM during three experimental conditions: mobile mice (ambulatory controls), mice without use of hind leg muscles (disuse atrophy group), or mice recovering from disuse atrophy. Compared to control-treated, aged mice, IMM01-STEM treatment resulted in greater muscle mass, increased muscle fiber area, and improved grip strength for all three experimental conditions. There was also a decrease in collagen content and an increase in the number of muscle stem cells, indicative of an enhanced muscle remodeling response. Additionally, administration of IMM01-STEM to rodent muscle cell cultures increased muscle size and enhanced muscle regeneration.

Collectively, these preclinical findings demonstrate that Immunis’ novel therapy has immune modulatory effects that enhance muscle size and strength following atrophy. Immunis has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to conduct a Phase 1/2a clinical trial investigating IMM01-STEM on muscle atrophy in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

Read the publication below or check out the video below for the results from our GeroScience publication.