Dystrogen Therapeutics is a clinical stage, chimeric cell therapy company focusing on muscle wasting disorders.

The company was founded based on the pioneering work of Prof. Maria Siemionow, a world-renowned scientist and surgeon who led the team that performed the first near-total face transplantation in the United States. Professor Siemionow’s research focused on the creation of chimeric cells, which are engineered by fusing cells from two different individuals to create a hybrid cell capable of modulating the immune system’s response to transplantation. This groundbreaking approach led to the development of Dystrogen’s chimeric cell fusion platform—a foundational technology with wide-ranging therapeutic applications.

One of the earliest applications of this platform is the Dystrophin Expressing Chimeric (DEC) cell therapy, developed specifically for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DECs are part of the Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Product (ATMP) class and are created by fusing a dysfunctional muscle cell from a DMD patient with a healthy donor myoblast. This novel chimeric cell contains structural and functional components from both the patient and the donor—including intact and healthy organelles such as mitochondria from the donor.

These donor-derived organelles play a crucial role in restoring cellular energy metabolism and improving muscle cell function. Because the cell retains elements from the patient, the immune system recognizes it as partially “self,” significantly reducing the risk of rejection. Once engrafted into the muscle (skeletal, cardiac, or diaphragm), these chimeric cells produce functional dystrophin, and as demonstrated in peer-reviewed studies, increase dystrophin levels, which correlates with improved clinical outcomes. This technology originated at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Building on the DEC success, Dystrogen Therapeutics is now advancing a platform of chimeric cell therapies for use in a broader range of muscle-wasting disorders, including:

• Sarcopenia
• Cancer cachexia
• Age-related muscle loss
• Disuse atrophy and trauma-related degeneration

These broader applications utilize Myoblast Chimeric Cells (MCCs), which are not restricted to dystrophin expression but carry donor-derived healthy organelles, especially mitochondria, that support cellular regeneration, bioenergetic restoration, and improved muscle repair. MCCs maintain the same immunomodulatory advantage of reduced rejection while opening the door to regenerative therapies in aging and chronic disease.

Dystrogen is committed to unlocking the regenerative power of healthy donor organelles delivered through chimeric cells, offering a new therapeutic avenue for previously untreatable muscle-wasting conditions.