PLURI BIOTECH LTD

Their core work

Pluri Biotech (formerly Pluristem Therapeutics) is an Israeli biotech SME that develops placenta-derived cell therapies for regenerative medicine. Their core product, PLX-PAD — allogeneic placenta-derived stromal cells expanded ex vivo — targets muscle regeneration and recovery after orthopaedic trauma, particularly hip fractures. Within EU consortia, they contribute both the therapeutic product itself and the clinical-stage expertise needed to bring advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) through Phase II/III trials.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their earlier H2020 involvement (2017), Pluri engaged in both upstream research — nanoparticle-based tracking of stem cell therapies (nTRACK) — and mid-stage clinical work (PACE Phase IIb). By 2018-2019, the focus shifted decisively toward late-stage clinical translation, with HIPGEN running a Phase III trial for hip fracture recovery and RESTORE connecting them to the broader ATMP community. The trajectory is clear: from research tools and early clinical validation toward regulatory-grade clinical evidence for their lead product.

Pluri is moving toward market-ready clinical evidence for PLX-PAD in orthopaedic indications, suggesting future collaborations will center on commercialization, regulatory approval, and expanded clinical applications.

How they like to work

Pluri has participated exclusively as a consortium partner across all four projects, never as coordinator — consistent with an SME that brings a proprietary therapeutic product into larger research frameworks led by academic or clinical partners. With 39 unique partners across 16 countries, they integrate readily into large European consortia. Their role is that of a specialized contributor providing the cell therapy product and associated know-how, rather than managing the overall project.

Pluri has collaborated with 39 distinct partners across 16 countries, indicating a broad European network despite being based in Israel. Their consortia span clinical centers, universities, and nanotech labs, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of advanced therapy development.

What sets them apart

Pluri is one of very few SMEs globally with a proprietary, off-the-shelf (allogeneic) placenta-derived cell therapy platform at Phase III clinical readiness. Unlike autologous cell therapies that require patient-specific manufacturing, PLX-PAD cells can be produced at scale from donated placentas and used without HLA matching. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination: an industry partner with both a manufacturable ATMP product and the clinical data to back it up.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HIPGEN
  Phase III clinical study for hip fracture recovery using PLX-PAD — their most advanced clinical program with EUR 2.5M in EC funding.
• PACE
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 3.1M) — a multicenter Phase IIb study that generated the clinical evidence foundation for the Phase III follow-up.
• nTRACK
  Unusual cross-sector project combining nanotechnology with stem cell therapy, developing imaging nanoparticles to track cell therapy effectiveness in vivo.