MUVON Therapeutics is spin-off from the University of Zurich developing an autologous cell therapy for the treatment of diseases related to skeletal muscle damage or degradation.
The technology behind MUVON was developed over the past decade at the University of Zurich and in recent years has been funded by the EU under the Horizon 2020 project known as MUS.I.C. The start-up MUVON was founded in 2020 to continue the development of the therapy and technology.
The technology enables the targeted isolation of muscle precursor cells (MPCs) from muscle tissue, the controlled expansion of these cells and the regeneration of muscle tissue through injection of the expanded cells.
The company’s initial area of focus is developing a safe and effective treatment for Stress Urinary Incontinence in women. The treatment is currently undergoing Phase I clinical study at the University Hospital of Zurich, where the first patient was treated in March 2020.
Stress Urinary Incontinence is a disease affecting more than 200 million people worldwide. It represents a condition with a prevalence of 20-50% in women, thereby creating a significant socio-economic burden. The currently available treatment strategies entail various complications and offer only short-term relief to the patients. According to the company, tissue engineering using autologous cells offers a feasible alternative for functional restoration of the damaged urinary sphincter muscle and represents an ideal treatment option that could reverse the underlying pathologic conditions.