Matricelf Enters Strategic Collaboration with Japan's CiRA Foundation to Advance Next-Generation Regenerative Manufacturing

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Matricelf (OTC:MTRLF) entered a Collaborative Research Agreement with Japan's CiRA Foundation on March 30, 2026 to evaluate advanced manufacturing for engineered neural tissues.

CiRA will supply iPSCs from 3 healthy donors; Matricelf will test integration with its hydrogel platform and assess neural markers and functional electrical activity to gauge scalability and automation potential.

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TEL AVIV, Israel and KYOTO, Japan, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Matricelf Ltd. (TASE: MTLF), a biotechnology company developing a novel autologous engineered neural tissue therapy for patients with spinal cord injury, today announced it has entered into a Collaborative Research Agreement with the CiRA Foundation, a global leader in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) research and regenerative medicine.

The collaboration represents a strategic step toward evaluating advanced manufacturing approaches that may enable scalable, efficient, and cost-effective production of regenerative therapies.

Under the agreement, Matricelf will assess the integration of iPSCs produced by the CiRA Foundation into its proprietary neural tissue engineering platform. The objective is to evaluate whether combining these technologies can support the development of an automated, large-scale manufacturing process for engineered neural tissues.

The CiRA Foundation, established in 2019 as an extension of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University, is a global pioneer in the development and manufacturing of GMP-grade iPSCs. Led by Professor Shinya Yamanaka, Nobel Laureate in Physiology, the Foundation is advancing both allogeneic and autologous iPSC technologies, including automated and closed manufacturing systems designed to improve efficiency and reduce costs of advanced cell therapies.

As part of the collaboration, CiRA Foundation will supply iPSCs derived from 3 healthy donors. Matricelf will use these cells to evaluate the feasibility of generating engineered neural tissues in combination with its proprietary hydrogel platform based on human extracellular matrix. The resulting tissues will be assessed based on predefined criteria, including neural marker expression at the genetic and protein levels, as well as functional electrical activity.

Successful outcomes from this research may indicate compatibility between the platforms and support the future development of a scalable manufacturing solution, aligned with Matricelf's long-term strategy to broaden access to regenerative therapies.

"The collaboration with CiRA Foundation enables us to explore the integration of two of the most advanced platforms in regenerative medicine," said Gil Hakim, CEO of Matricelf. "Beyond the scientific opportunity, this initiative may support the development of scalable manufacturing capabilities with a focus on automation, efficiency, and cost reduction. Partnering with a globally recognized leader such as CiRA strengthens our international positioning and the potential of our technology to contribute to the next generation of regenerative medicine."

The field of iPSC-based therapies continues to attract significant global investment and is considered one of the most advanced and promising areas in regenerative medicine. Matricelf believes that this collaboration may support the evaluation of future pathways to expand manufacturing capacity, improve process efficiency, and reduce production costs, subject to successful results.

About Matricelf Ltd.

Matricelf is a biotechnology company focused on developing personalized regenerative therapies for spinal cord injury patients using autologous engineered neural tissue.

About CiRA Foundation

The CiRA Foundation is a leading global organization in iPSC research and manufacturing, dedicated to advancing regenerative medicine and making cell therapies more accessible to patients worldwide.

CONTACT INFO:
Gil Hakim
CEO
Matricelf
Tel: +972-52-5263351
GIL@MATRICELF.COM

 

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SOURCE Matricelf Ltd.

FAQ

What did Matricelf (MTRLF) announce on March 30, 2026 regarding CiRA Foundation?

Matricelf announced a Collaborative Research Agreement with CiRA Foundation to evaluate scalable manufacturing for engineered neural tissues. According to Matricelf, CiRA will supply iPSCs from three healthy donors for integration testing with Matricelf's hydrogel platform and functional assessment.

What are the main goals of the Matricelf and CiRA collaboration for MTRLF?

The collaboration aims to evaluate integration of CiRA iPSCs into Matricelf's neural tissue platform and assess scalability. According to Matricelf, objectives include automation, efficiency, cost reduction, and measuring neural marker expression and electrical activity.

What specific materials will CiRA supply to Matricelf under the MTRLF agreement?

CiRA will supply GMP-grade iPSCs derived from three healthy donors for feasibility studies. According to Matricelf, these cells will be combined with its human extracellular matrix-based hydrogel to generate engineered neural tissues for testing.

How will Matricelf evaluate success for the CiRA collaboration (MTRLF)?

Success will be measured by predefined criteria including neural genetic and protein marker expression and functional electrical activity. According to Matricelf, meeting these criteria may indicate platform compatibility and support scalable manufacturing development.

What potential impact could the Matricelf–CiRA deal have on MTRLF's manufacturing strategy?

If results are successful, the collaboration could support development of an automated, large-scale manufacturing process for engineered neural tissues. According to Matricelf, this may improve process efficiency and reduce production costs, subject to successful outcomes.