Technology

ARTCLINE provides a functional sepsis therapy by combining the two worlds of blood products and extracorporeal devices

The mortality in sepsis remains very high, despite constant research and development activities by science and medical industry. The causes, in particular the malfunctions of the immune system, have not yet been able to be elucidated.

ARTCLINE would like to resolve this conflict with a new therapeutic approach.

The ARTICE® Therapy fights sepsis with immune cells from healthy donors.

The therapy uses phagocytes, so-called granulocytes. The immune cells of the donor temporarily take over the disrupted function of the patient’s own immune cells. Inflammatory substances are removed from the patient’s plasma. In addition, immunological messenger substances are produced. These substances are intended to support the regeneration of the patients’ immune system.

The extracorporeal immune cell-therapy replaces the immune cell-function and could be used as an additional therapy option in sepsis.

In the extracorporeal blood circuit, the plasma is removed from the patient’s blood with the help of special plasma separators, e.g., separated by a PLASMA FILTER. The separated plasma is then transferred to a second filter, the IMMUNE-CELL FILTER, in which the immune cells of a healthy donor are located. This is where the patient’s plasma comes into direct contact with the donor immune cells. These bind and remove bacterial toxins as well as the patient’s own waste.

Furthermore, the healthy donor immune cells analyze the patient’s own immune messengers. The donor immune cells release various immune messengers, consequently to the signals received. Then, the treated plasma is separated from the donor immune cells and returned to the patient together with the patient’s blood. The immune messengers are supposed to reactivate the patient’s own immune system. Infections could be effectively treated, and organ malfunctions may return to normal. The patient’s plasma is treated continuously for several hours.

The immune cells are obtained from healthy donors of the same blood group. The extraction takes place according to standard working instructions in a transfusion medical facility with GMP manufacturing license.

Both production and treatment procedures are patent protected in the US and the EU.

Products

Elements of our technology platform ARTICE®

ARTCLINE is going to provide a complete therapy solution from one source. Our range of services comprises the delivery of the therapy cells including the logistics, the medical equipment for cell application up to application support.

The ARTICE® Application consists of the following components:

ARTICE® CELLS

The ARTICE®-Cells are immune cells obtained from healthy donors.

A patent-protected processing according to standard working instructions is performed in a transfusion medical facility with GMP manufacturing license, usually leading to three treatment units from one donation. A customized, GMP conformal transport and storage container is used for delivery of the cells to the hospital by a specialized carrier.

The ARTICE® Therapy uses purified granulocyte concentrates, which consist primarily of neutrophil granulocytes. The cells are generated using an innovative process that enriches the granulocytes. This ensures prolonged vitality and functionality (from 1 to 3 days). Each treatment is carried out with about 1 to 2.5 x 10¹⁰ granulocytes, which is roughly the amount in 5l of blood in a healthy person.

Alternative cell sources, e.g., from stem cells, are under ARTCLINE’s R&D process, to meet the future large cell product requirements.

Please have a look at section publications. Here you will find promising results and further details.

ARTICE® THERAPY PLATFORM

Patented extracorporeal application of ARTICE® CELLS

In order to avoid possible side effects of the donor immune cells, such as graft versus host reactions (GvHR)  or local tissue damages,  the ARTICE® CELLS are kept behind filters in an extracorporeal dialysis-like treatment and do not enter the patient’s body.