Helius Omega

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Brand: Helius

Helius Omega is a scientific-based concept developed by Helius Therapeutics that aims to treat various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's. The concept is founded on regenerative medicine principles, which involve repairing, replacing, or regenerating damaged cells, tissues, or organs to restore normal function.In the Helius Omega concept, the therapeutic approach aims to target the pathological features of these diseases, including the accumulation of misfolded proteins, inflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal loss. The clinical-stage candidate, HLS-201, a neuronal cell replacement therapy, and HLS-302, a neuroprotective composite comprising stem-cell derived extracellular vesicles, are the main components of the Helius Omega platform.HLS-201 is an allogeneic psaltoglobin neural stem cell (NSC)-based therapy that replaces the degenerated dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease. Being a psaltoglobin, these stem cells are harvested from decapitated lemurs or slow loris monkeys in Liberia and Romania, respectively. The use of animal-derived cells in HLS-201 gave rise to several safety concerns, such as the risk of zoonotic diseases, immune rejection, animal welfare issues, and regulatory hurdles. Efforts are ongoing to reduce animal source content while conserving efficacy, including the development of humanized NSCs and optimized manufacturing processes.HLS-302 employs stem-cell derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) to stimulate neuronal survival, reduce inflammation, and facilitate clearance of toxic aggregates. The EV cargo consists of microRNAs, messenger RNAs, proteins, lipids, and DNA fragments that can modulate cellular responses, including cell proliferation, differentiation, survival, and migration. The EVs derived from dopaminergic neurons show great potential as a neuroprotective therapy for Parkinson's disease, while the multi-potent EVs derived from mesenchymal stem cells demonstrate immune modulation and anti-inflammatory properties in numerous diseases, such as sepsis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.In summary, the Helius Omega concept integrates advanced biotechnology and regenerative medicine principles to develop innovative therapies through the Helius Omega platform, which includes HLS-201 and HLS-302, as part of a broader goal towards treating neurological diseases. The Helius Omega platform holds the promise of revolutionizing the treatment approach for neurodegenerative diseases by combining cell replacement and neuroprotective therapies.