[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-133532-en":3,"doc-seo-133532-105":31,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":93},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":28,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":29,"read_time":30},133532,1099514067415,"Rowan","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/100002539d78ffe74a7?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779092875211072502",8,"Research & Report","MERLIN Project FINAL REPORT - MEsenchymal stem cells to Reduce Liver Inflammation - Final deliverable","MERLIN develops a stromal (mesenchymal) cell therapy aimed at reducing liver inflammation in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), where current treatment options remain limited. Laboratory studies assessed MSC effectiveness, mechanisms of action, and optimal production conditions. Key results show reduced markers of liver damage and inflammation, benefits from both bone marrow- and umbilical cord-derived MSCs, and evidence implicating extracellular vesicles. A clinical trial was designed to test safety and inflammatory effects, alongside a regulatory-aligned UC MSC production process.","MERLIN Project No 602363  \nMERLIN Project FINAL REPORT  \nGrant Agreement number: 602363  \nProject acronym: MERLIN  \nProject title: MEsenchymal stem cells to Reduce Liver Inflammation  \nFunding Scheme: HEALTH 2013.1.4-1  \nDate of latest version of Annex I against which the assessment will be made: 2017-05-23  \nStart Date: 1 February 2014  \nEnd Date: 31 January 2019  \nName, title and organisation of the scientific representative of the project's coordinator:  \nProf. Philip Newsome  \nHead of Cell Therapy, Director of the Centre for Liver Research School of Immunity and Infection, University of Birmingham Tel: +44 (0)121 415 8700  \nFax: N/A  \nE-mail: [p. n. newsome@bham.ac.uk](p. n. newsome@bham.ac.uk)  \n[Project website address:](Project website address: www.fp7merlin.eu)[ ](Project website address: www.fp7merlin.eu)[www.fp7merlin.eu](Project website address: www.fp7merlin.eu)  \n1  \nFinal Report  \nMERLIN Project No 602363  \nTable of Contents  \n1. FINAL PUBLISHABLE SUMMARY REPORT 4  \n1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4  \n1.2 A SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES 5  \n1.3 A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN S&T RESULTS/FOREGROUNDS 7  \n1.3.1 INTRODUCTION 7  \n1.3.2 WP1 SSC PLATFORM 7  \n1.3.3 WP2 DIABETIC NEUROPATHY 9  \n1.3.4 WP3 DIABETIC RETINOPATHY 10  \n1.3.5 WP4 DIABETIC CARDIOMYOPATHY 14  \n1.3.6 WP5 DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY 23  \n1.3.7 WP6 DIABETIC ULCERS 25  \n1.3.8 WP7 DIABETIC BONE FRACTURES 29  \n1.3.9 WP8 DATA MANAGEMENT 31  \n1.3.10 WP9 GMP CELL PRODUCTION ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.  \n1.3.11 WP10 CLINICAL TRIAL ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.  \n1.3.12 MAIN S&T RESULTS: CONCLUSION 34  \n1.4 IMPACT, DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION. 35  \n1.4.1 IMPACT AND EXPLOITATION 35  \n1.4.2 DISSEMINATION 38  \n1.4.3 CONCLUSION 45  \n1.5 WEBSITE AND CONTACT DETAILS 46  \n2. USE AND DISSEMINATION OF FOREGROUND 48  \nSECTION A 48  \n2.1 TEMPLATE A1– PUBLICATIONS 48  \n2.2 TEMPLATE A2– DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES 51  \nSECTION B- (CONFIDENTIAL OR PUBLIC: CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION TO BE MARKED CLEARLY) 63  \n2.3 TEMPLATE B1– PATENTS AND IP APPLICATIONS 63  \n2.4 TEMPLATE B2–OVERVIEW TABLE WITH EXPLOITABLE FOREGROUND 64  \n2.5 ADDITIONAL TEMPLATE B2: OVERVIEW TABLE WITH EXPLOITABLE FOREGROUND 69  \n3. REPORT ON SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS 71  \n3.1 ETHICS 71  \n2  \nFinal Report  \nMERLIN Project No 602363  \n3.2 WORKFORCE STATISTICS 74  \n3.3 GENDER ASPECTS 75  \n3.4 SYNERGIES WITH SCIENCE EDUCATION 75  \n3.5 INTERDISCIPLINARITY 75  \n3.6 ENGAGING WITH CIVIL SOCIETY AND POLICY MAKERS 75  \n3.7 USE AND DISSEMINATION 76  \n3.8 MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC 77  \n3  \nFinal Report  \nMERLIN Project No 602363  \n1. Final publishable summary report  \n1.1 Executive summary  \nIt is estimated that 29 million people in the EU have chronic liver disease, and it is the fifth most common cause of death. Most liver diseases involve inflammation that leads to liver damage. MERLIN is focused on developing a stromal cell therapy for the liver diseases primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). There are currently limited treatment options available for these conditions.  \nResearchers in MERLIN have looked at the effectiveness of Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) against inflammatory liver disease in the laboratory, in order to inform and underpin a novel cell therapy. We have also explored mechanisms of action of MSCs and optimum conditions for MSC production.  \nSome of our key findings include:  \n• MSCs reduce markers of liver damage and inflammation in laboratory models of inflammatory liver disease, as well as the number of inflammatory cells in damaged areas.  \n• MSCs derived from both bone marrow (BM) and umbilical cord (UC) show positive effects.  \n• The route of infusion of UC MSC has no impact on its therapeutic effect (MSCs infused subcutaneously and intravenously were equally effective) .  \n• The beneficial effect of MSCs on PSC is due, at least in part, to the extracellular vesicles (EVs) that MSCs secrete.  \n• The properties of MSCs can be influenced by the co","cbCaijmyCwwVqj81","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaijmyCwwVqj81","pdf",15193614,5,1,78,"English","en",105,"# FINAL PUBLISHABLE SUMMARY REPORT\n## EXECUTIVE SUMMARY\n## A SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES\n## A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN S&T RESULTS/FOREGROUNDS\n## IMPACT, DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION.","[{\"question\":\"What conditions does MERLIN target and what therapy is being developed?\",\"answer\":\"MERLIN focuses on stromal/mesenchymal cell therapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), aiming to reduce liver inflammation and related damage.\"},{\"question\":\"What were the main laboratory findings about MSCs?\",\"answer\":\"MSC studies showed reduced markers of liver damage and inflammation and fewer inflammatory cells in damaged areas. Effects were observed for both bone marrow- and umbilical cord-derived MSCs, and the beneficial impact on PSC is linked, at least in part, to extracellular vesicles.\"},{\"question\":\"How did MERLIN translate preclinical work into a clinical trial?\",\"answer\":\"The project used study results to design a clinical trial evaluating safety and therapy impact on inflammation in patients with PSC and AIH. It also established a consistent, regulatory-aligned process for producing MSCs from umbilical cord tissue.\"}]","MERLIN Project FINAL REPORT - MEsenchymal stem cells to Reduce Liver Inflammation - Final deliverable | PDF",1787221442,197,{"code":4,"msg":32,"data":33},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":34,"title":13,"keywords":35,"description":14,"schema_data":36,"social_meta":88,"head_meta":90,"extra_data":92,"updated_unix":29},"merlin-project-final-report-mesenchymal-stem-cells-to-reduce-liver-inflammation-final-deliverable","",{"@graph":37,"@context":87},[38,55,70],{"@type":39,"itemListElement":40},"BreadcrumbList",[41,45,49,52],{"item":42,"name":43,"@type":44,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":46,"name":47,"@type":44,"position":48},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":50,"name":12,"@type":44,"position":51},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":53,"name":13,"@type":44,"position":54},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/merlin-project-final-report-mesenchymal-stem-cells-to-reduce-liver-inflammation-final-deliverable/133532/",4,{"url":53,"name":13,"@type":56,"author":57,"headline":13,"publisher":59,"fileFormat":62,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":63,"datePublished":64,"encodingFormat":62,"isAccessibleForFree":65,"interactionStatistic":66},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":58},"Person",{"url":42,"name":60,"@type":61},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-08-31","2026-08-20",true,{"@type":67,"interactionType":68,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":69},"ViewAction",{"@type":71,"mainEntity":72},"FAQPage",[73,79,83],{"name":74,"@type":75,"acceptedAnswer":76},"What conditions does MERLIN target and what therapy is being developed?","Question",{"text":77,"@type":78},"MERLIN focuses on stromal/mesenchymal cell therapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), aiming to reduce liver inflammation and related damage.","Answer",{"name":80,"@type":75,"acceptedAnswer":81},"What were the main laboratory findings about MSCs?",{"text":82,"@type":78},"MSC studies showed reduced markers of liver damage and inflammation and fewer inflammatory cells in damaged areas. Effects were observed for both bone marrow- and umbilical cord-derived MSCs, and the beneficial impact on PSC is linked, at least in part, to extracellular vesicles.",{"name":84,"@type":75,"acceptedAnswer":85},"How did MERLIN translate preclinical work into a clinical trial?",{"text":86,"@type":78},"The project used study results to design a clinical trial evaluating safety and therapy impact on inflammation in patients with PSC and AIH. It also established a consistent, regulatory-aligned process for producing MSCs from umbilical cord tissue.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":53,"og:type":89,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":60,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":91,"canonical":53},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":25},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":94},[95,99,103,107,111,116,121,124,129,132,136],{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":48,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":54,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":104,"show_sort_weight":105,"slug":106},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":114,"slug":115},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":118,"show_sort_weight":119,"slug":120},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":122,"slug":123},30,"research-report",{"id":125,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":126,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":128},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":130,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":131},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":133,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":134,"show_sort_weight":133,"slug":135},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":137,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":47,"category_name":138,"show_sort_weight":20,"slug":139},19,"General","general"]