MICA Biosystems

MICA Biosystems is a preclinical biotechnology company that spun out of the University of Keele in 2010 and is now headquartered in Birmingham, UK. The company was founded by world-leading scientists in regenerative technology, Professor Alicia El Haj and Professor Jon Dobson, who have collectively published over 500 articles in the field. The current CEO is Dr. Mike Zurawski. The founders' goal is to leverage their interdisciplinary expertise in biomedicine, physical sciences, and engineering to develop new cell-based therapies for clinical use.

The firm's core business revolves around its proprietary MICA (Magnetic Ion Channel Activation) technology, which uses magnetic nanoparticles to communicate with and control stem cells within a patient's body. This allows for the remote and controlled differentiation of stem cells to promote the regrowth of specific tissues like bone and cartilage. The process involves combining a patient's own bone marrow with the company's nanotechnology outside the body, reintroducing the mixture, and then using an external bandage that acts as a remote control to stimulate the cells. The primary clinical application currently being explored is spinal fusion, with potential future uses in treating neurodegenerative diseases and oncology.

MICA Biosystems operates on a multi-faceted business model. It is developing its own therapeutic applications, such as the remote-controlled stem cell therapy for spinal fusion repair. In parallel, it provides its technology to the broader research community through two main product platforms: Dynagrow and Dynascreen. Dynagrow is a research instrument that allows scientists to use MICA's remote cell control for applications like cellular mechanics and mechanical conditioning of cells. Dynascreen is a drug screening platform that offers a more realistic model of the gut lining to test drug permeability more accurately. The company collaborates with clinicians and scientific institutions for validation studies and holds technology patents in the APAC, EMEA, and AMER regions.

Keywords: regenerative medicine, nanotechnology, stem cell therapy, tissue engineering, biomagnetic technology, remote cell control, magnetic nanoparticles, spinal fusion, drug screening platform, cell differentiation, mechanostimulation, MICA technology, preclinical biotech, cell-based therapies, biomedical engineering, Dynagrow, Dynascreen, bone regrowth, cartilage repair, clinical research