Startup built on the potential for stem-cell products

By Adam Dylewski

April 2007

MADISON -- Harnessing the power of stem cells in previously unexplored ways, Stemina Biomarker Discovery, Inc. is one of the newest startups to spring out of Madison’s thriving biotechnology sector.

Elizabeth Donley, CEO of the new company, presented Stemina’s scientific goals and business model at the recent Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference in San Francisco.

Donley explained that when human embryonic stem (hES) cells are grown in culture, they can be used for disease diagnosis, screening drugs for side effects and reducing development costs of pharmaceuticals.

They also could provide a vital substitute for animal testing.

Donley said a culture of hES cells is a more accurate and efficient model for drug testing than a lab rat. hES Cells take far less time to grow and give results that are more biologically relevant to humans.

Stemina’s approach is rooted in a discipline known as metabolomics. According to Donley, the burgeoning field’s goal is to document the “dynamic set of all small molecules (known as biomarkers) present in a biological sample.”

By understanding the number and type of biomarkers in the body, it’s possible to gauge a patient’s health and diagnose diseases in a profoundly precise manner.

UW-Madison professor Gabriela Cezar is a pioneer in utilizing stem cells for disease diagnosis and chief scientific officer for Stemina. Along with Donley, she formed the company in late 2006 to accelerate the search for important biomarkers.

Whereas medicine has historically been population-based—think the food pyramid or an “apple-a-day”—the use of biomarkers and more genetics-focused approaches could lead to a much more personalized take on disease prevention and treatment.

At Stemina, unique biomarkers are discovered through the careful observation of growing HES cell colonies. In a given experiment, one group of cells might be treated with a drug while another group is left to grow in normal conditions. As the cells grow and develop into different human tissues, they secrete billions of biomarkers that reflect their overall biochemical state. If the treated group exhibits a negative response to the drug, it is compared to the normal group to ascertain at what point during development the response arose.

Using Cezar’s unique screening methods, she can pinpoint the relevant biomarkers involved in an undesired drug response. Using Stemina’s screening methods, the release of a drug could be hastened without sacrificing safety or raising development costs.

Alternately, if hES cells are derived from patients with Parkinson’s or other genetic diseases, the afflicted cells could be used to identify biomarkers involved in the development of the disease. For those predisposed to diseases with strong genetic component, Stemina could uncover

Stemina’s goal is to find and catalogue these biomarkers with their proprietary stem cell and metabolomics techniques. With a deeper understanding of these valuable molecules, the company could create invaluable diagnostic tools.

Donley said she envisions the company “entering into joint development agreements and service contracts with pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners.” Given its connections to UW-Madison, Stemina might also provide its services to the university, as well as academia, at large.

Stemina is the third stem cell-based startup to arise in Madison. According to Donley, “the investor response has been fabulous. We have presented to three angel groups and all three groups have made commitments for investment.”

Dylewski is a student in the UW-Madison Department of Life Sciences Communication.

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