Projects funded by Medical Research Agency (ABM)

Projects implemented at MMRI PAS funded by Medical Research Agency:

 

Factory of extracellular vesicles for personalized anti-cancer recurrence vaccine (Acronym: CROSSFIRE)

CROSSFIRE project in a consortium with the National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (NMI MIA). The project is funded from the state budget by the Medical Research Agency under the TRANSMED I call (ABM/2024/8).

Consortium Leader: IMDiK PAN
Project Manager: Jakub Godlewski, MD, PhD, DSc

Consortium Partner: PIM MSWiA
Project Lead at PIM MSWiA: Artur Zaczyński, MD, PhD

Project implementation period: 1 July 2026 – 30 June 2029
Funding amount/ Total Project Cost: 11 996 871,00 PLN

The aim of the project is to develop an innovative, personalised immunotherapeutic strategy that may, in the future, help prevent the recurrence of glioblastoma. The proposed approach is based on extracellular vesicles produced from tumour cells collected from the patient and cultured under laboratory conditions. These vesicles are expected to contain antigens specific to the individual tumour and to stimulate the immune system to recognise the cells responsible for disease recurrence.

The project will involve patients with glioblastoma who have been qualified for surgical tumour resection. After obtaining informed consent, a tumour tissue fragment and a blood sample will be collected during surgery. The biological material will be used exclusively for laboratory research conducted outside the patient’s body. Participation in the project does not involve administration of an experimental vaccine and will not affect standard treatment.

PIM MSWiA is responsible for the clinical component of the project, including participant eligibility assessment, collection and secure handling of biological material, and collection of clinical data. The study will be conducted at the Department of Neurosurgery of PIM MSWiA with the support of the Clinical Trials Support Centre.

The expected outcome of the project is the development of a validated platform for manufacturing personalised extracellular vesicle-based preparations, ready for further development and future clinical evaluation.

A randomised, blind placebo-controlled, phase 3 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cladribine in myasthenia gravis with acetylcholine receptor antibodies.
Project manager: prof. Paweł Grieb MD PhD as a representative of MMRI PAS
Project implemented in consortium: Medical University of Lublin (Leader), Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, The Łukasiewicz Research Network – prof. I. Mościcki Industrial Chemistry Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University London
International collaboration: Great Britain
2019/ABM/01 call, implementation period: 2020 – 2026, project funding: PLN 26 349 901,54

Innovative application of stem cells and neurotrophin-releasing biocompatible polyelectrolyte nanoparticles in the adjuvant therapy of neurodegenerative diseases.
Project manager: Prof. Anna Sarnowska MD PhD as a representative of MMRI PAS
Project implemented in consortium: Pomeranian Medical University (Leader), Medical University of Warsaw, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn
ABM/2020/1 call, implementation period: 2021 – 2025, project funding: PLN 17 497 978

The application of platelet-rich leukocyte fibrin as angiogenesis stimulator in patients undergoing revascularization as therapy in critical lower limbs ischemia
Project manager: Prof. Zbigniew Gałązka (Medical University of Warsaw); Luiza Stanaszek PhD as a representative of MMRI PAS
Project implemented in consortium: Medical University of Warsaw (Leader) University Clinical Center of the Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, diCELLa Sp. z.o.o
Financed from the state budget under the Medical Research Agency competition (ABM/2020/1) - competition for research and development activities in the field of non-commercial clinical trials, implementation period: 2021 - 2026
Financed by the state 2020/ABM/01 call, implementation period: 2021 – 2026
Project funding: PLN 8 676 067,60PLN - total value of the project


Project Objective
Lower limb atherosclerosis is a common civilization-related disease within the group of cardiovascular disorders. It is associated with high morbidity, elevated mortality, and a significant reduction in patients' quality of life. It is estimated that approximately 202 million people worldwide are affected by lower limb atherosclerosis, and for many, disease progression ultimately leads to limb loss. The reported prevalence varies widely in the literature, ranging from 4.3% to 57%, depending on the diagnostic criteria, age, and the presence of risk factors in specific populations. Advanced age, male gender, diabetes, and smoking are strongly associated with a significantly increased risk of developing the disease.

Currently, the first-line treatment consists of endovascular procedures or surgical bypass grafting. While the technical success rates of these interventions are relatively high, long-term outcomes—specifically limb salvage and limb-loss-free survival—remain unsatisfactory. Previous attempts to apply mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy have not yielded significant improvements in limb salvage rates, likely because these therapies have only been applied in patients for whom no further revascularization options were available.
The formation of new vascular networks—angiogenesis—is a complex, multifactorial biological process. While it is possible to cultivate various cell types involved in angiogenesis—including endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) responsible for vessel formation, hemangio-pericytes (HPCs) that support angiogenesis, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that stabilize vessel walls—effectively and predictably inducing angiogenesis in critically ischemic tissues remains a significant challenge. Several factors may contribute to this limitation:
  • The implantation of single-cell line populations, which does not adequately reflect the complex and not fully understood network of cell–cell and protein–cell interactions required for effective angiogenesis.
In recent years, a growing body of experimental evidence has demonstrated the remarkable pro-angiogenic properties of leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) in initiating the development of new vascular networks. L-PRF is an autologous medicinal product, obtained directly from the patient’s blood via centrifugation, which separates platelets and leukocytes from red blood cells and embeds them within a fibrin gel matrix. This autologous product demonstrates a unique combination of biological properties, including the induction of angiogenesis, acceleration of wound healing, and modulation of immune responses.
It is anticipated that, in addition to restoring temporary vessel patency, the application of L-PRF will significantly accelerate secondary angiogenesis in ischemic limbs and attenuate the perivascular inflammatory response associated with revascularization procedures. We hypothesize that this approach will lead to a substantially longer asymptomatic period, or even complete remission of disease symptoms, ultimately resulting in higher limb salvage rates and potentially reduced mortality within this patient population.
The primary objective of this study is to develop novel interventional strategies for the treatment of critical limb ischemia in the lower extremities, utilizing L-PRF as a therapeutic medicinal product.

Study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Polish cladribine in the treatment of patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis - a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Project manager: prof. Paweł Grieb MD PhD as a respresenative of MMRI PASProject implemented in consortium with:Instytut Psychiatrii i Neurologii(Lider), Military Institute of Aviation Medicine, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering Polish Academy of Sciences2021/ABM/02 call, implementation period: 2021– 2027, project funding: PLN 9 704 627,60