THYTECH

THYTECH is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that emerged in 2014 as a spin-off from the Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IISGM) in Madrid, Spain. The venture is built upon the foundational research of the Immunoregulation Laboratory at IISGM, led by Dr. Rafael Correa Rocha, who holds PhDs in Biology and Medicine and Surgery. His work, alongside key figures like Dr. María Ángeles Muñoz-Fernández, a specialist in Immunology and head of section at the same hospital, focuses on immunological homeostasis and cellular therapies.

The company is developing a cell therapy platform, thyTreg™, which utilizes thymus-derived regulatory T cells (Tregs) to address immune system imbalances. This approach is designed to treat and prevent a variety of conditions stemming from undesired immune responses, such as autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection, and the cytokine release syndrome seen in severe COVID-19 cases. The core of THYTECH's technology is a patented method for isolating a high quantity and quality of Treg cells from thymic tissue, which is normally discarded during pediatric cardiac surgeries. This method yields up to 5,000 times more cells than traditional peripheral blood extraction, bypassing the need for cell expansion and enabling the creation of an "off-the-shelf" allogeneic treatment that is cryopreserved for immediate use.

THYTECH's business model centers on the clinical development and future commercialization of its thyTreg™ therapies. The company serves the biopharmaceutical market, with patients and healthcare providers as the ultimate end-users. Its revenue model is predicated on bringing these patented cell therapies to market. The company is actively engaged in clinical trials to validate its technology. A Phase I/II trial is investigating the use of autologous thyTreg cells to prevent graft rejection in pediatric heart transplant patients. Another Phase II trial is exploring an allogeneic therapy for treating immune hyperactivation in patients with COVID-19 or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). The firm has successfully raised $387K in a Later Stage VC round in March 2022 from investors including BStartup10, Genesis Biomed, and Sabadell Venture Capital.

Keywords: cell therapy, regulatory T cells, Treg, immunology, autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection, GVHD, graft-versus-host disease, thyTreg, thymus-derived cells, allogeneic therapy, off-the-shelf therapy, Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute, Rafael Correa Rocha, immune tolerance, cytokine release syndrome, COVID-19 therapy, ARDS, biotechnology, biopharma, clinical trials, spin-off, Madrid