ISCT 2021 | The benefits of Wharton’s jelly-derived MSCs

Lindsay Davies, PhD, Karolinska Institutet & NextCell Pharma AB, Huddinge, Sweden, describes the benefits associated with the use of Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (WJ-MSCs) compared to other MSC sources. WJ-MSCs are easily accessible from umbilical cord tissue, are highly immunomodulatory, can be used to generate large doses of cell product and are associated with fewer ethical issues compared to bone marrow-derived MSCs, given their ease of access and non-invasive methods of procurement. This interview took place during the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) Annual Meeting 2021.