Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine – reNEW

What Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine – reNEW does

reNEW (Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine) is a global stem cell research consortium established in 2022 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. It operates through three nodes hosted at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), Leiden University Medical Center (Netherlands), and Murdoch Children's Research Institute (Australia), employing 73 staff with a broader network of 68 Principal Investigators and 40+ Associate Investigators. The consortium organizes its research around five interconnected themes — EXPLORE (fundamental stem cell biology), reSOLVE (disease modeling and drug discovery), reBUILD (stem-cell generated tissue therapies), reWRITE (genetic modification of stem cells), and PREPARE (ethics, regulation, and translation) — covering the full spectrum from basic research to clinical application.

reNEW's core technology platforms include STRAIGHT-IN genome editing (published in Nature Protocols), organoid and organ-on-chip systems, AI-based label-free imaging for cardiac safety testing, metabolomics capabilities, and multi-organ stem cell platforms. Its clinical pipeline includes the STEM-PD Parkinson's disease therapy, which achieved positive 12-month primary safety endpoint data as the first European-based pluripotent stem cell clinical trial, with Phase 2 development transitioning to Cellular Intelligence. Other programs target kidney disease (with Ton Rabelink's ERC-funded work), heart failure (Enzo Porrello's research at Melbourne), Type 1 diabetes islet replacement (Carlotti group with Breakthrough T1D funding), blood disorders (with Retro Biosciences), and inner ear/hearing loss (Locher group).

The business model is non-commercial and grant-funded: reNEW does not sell products or services in the traditional sense. The €300 million Novo Nordisk Foundation grant over 10 years (2022-2031, extended in February 2026) provides core operational funding, supplemented by competitive research grants (ERC, NHMRC, MRFF, NWO, Lundbeck, ZonMW, Heart Foundation) and industry collaborations (Retro Biosciences, Ncardia, Sartorius, Roche Institute of Human Biology). Commercialization occurs through spin-out companies, beginning with Ibnova Therapeutics for heart disease treatments in partnership with BioInnovation Institute and Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator. Target beneficiaries are patients with chronic and genetic diseases (Parkinson's, diabetes, heart failure, kidney disease, blood disorders), with academic researchers and biotech/pharma companies serving as collaboration partners.

Name

Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine – reNEW

Legal name

Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine

Website

https://renew.science

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

reNEW is a Copenhagen-headquartered, non-profit stem cell research consortium operating across Denmark, Netherlands, and Australia with 68 Principal Investigators, developing stem cell-based therapies for incurable diseases through five research themes covering basic biology to clinical translation, funded primarily by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Stem Cell Medicine Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Stem Cell Therapies (MSC/iPSC/HSC-derived) (HLAAABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stem Cell–Based Regenerative Therapies (HLAAAGAA), Cardiovascular & Vascular Regeneration (vascular grafts, angiogenesis) (HLAAAGAJ)

Keywords

• Stem cell research
• Regenerative medicine
• Cell therapy development
• Disease modeling
• Genome editing

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Novo Nordisk Foundation Grant: Primary funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. A 300 million euro grant covering a 10-year period from 2022. Funding extended to end of 2031. This is the core operational funding for the consortium.
2. Research Grants: Multiple competitive research grants from government agencies and foundations including: Novo Nordisk Foundation Regenerative Medicine Catalyst Grants, Australian MRFF grants, European ERC grants, Danish Lundbeck Foundation grants, Dutch ZonMW/NWO grants, Heart Foundation grants, and others supporting specific research projects.
3. Industry Partnerships: Collaborative research funding from industry partners including Retro Biosciences (blood stem cell therapies), Ncardia (cardiac drug development), Sartorius (AI imaging), and others for specific research collaborations.
4. Spin-out Companies: Revenue generation through commercialization of research via spin-out companies. First spin-out: Ibnova Therapeutics targeting treatments for severe heart disease, announced with BioInnovation Institute and Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

reNEW is a global stem cell medicine research consortium that develops stem cell-based therapies for incurable chronic and genetic diseases. It conducts fundamental stem cell biology research, disease modeling using human stem cell platforms, drug discovery screening, tissue regeneration studies, gene therapy, and clinical translation. The consortium operates across three international nodes (Copenhagen, Leiden, Melbourne) and translates discoveries into clinical trials and industry collaborations.

Product overview

reNEW is a global stem cell research consortium organized around five interconnected research themes: EXPLORE (fundamental stem cell biology), reSOLVE (disease modeling for drug discovery), reBUILD (stem-cell generated tissue therapies), reWRITE (genetic modification of stem cells), and PREPARE (ethics, regulatory, and translation support). The consortium's clinical programs include STEM-PD, a pluripotent stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease currently in clinical trials, alongside research platforms for kidney organoids, blood stem cell therapies, cardiac microtissues, multi-organ systems, genome editing (STRAIGHT-IN), and inner ear organoids. reNEW has spun out Ibnova Therapeutics for heart disease treatments and maintains active partnerships with Retro Biosciences, Cellular Intelligence, Ncardia, and Sartorius for various therapeutic and drug discovery programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STEM-PD A pluripotent stem cell therapy clinical program for Parkinson's disease using human stem cell-derived dopamine producing nerve cells transplanted into patients; the first European-based clinical trial of a pluripotent stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease with positive 12-month primary safety endpoint data.
• STRAIGHT-IN Genome Editing Platform A genome editing platform developed by reNEW Leiden that enables researchers to insert multiple large DNA constructs into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) with high precision and speed; protocol published in Nature Protocols.
• Kidney Organoid Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• STEM-PD trial: First European-based pluripotent stem cell therapy clinical trial for Parkinson's disease with positive 12-month primary safety endpoint data
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• University of Copenhagen (UCPH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research university with strong history of high-quality research in stem cell biology. Home to reNEW Copenhagen node with 23 principal investigators. Provides research excellence and opportunities in stem cell research.
• Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean leader in medical innovation and frontrunner in developing healthcare innovations. Home to reNEW Leiden node with 25 principal investigators. Strong focus on stem cell biology and clinical translation.
• Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmong the world's top children's research institutions. Home to reNEW Melbourne node with 20 principal investigators. Focus on pluripotent stem cells drives biology toward medical outcomes for patients.
• Retro BiosciencesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS biotechnology company partnership with MCRI for accelerating breakthroughs in blood stem cell therapies for children and adults with bone marrow failure, leukaemia, and other blood disorders. Part of international investment to advance cell therapies.
• BioInnovation Institute (BII)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported creation of Ibnova Therapeutics, the first spin-out company from reNEW, targeting treatments for severe heart disease. Collaboration with Novo Nordisk Foundation Cellerator for spin-out development.
• Novo Nordisk Foundation CelleratormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for spin-out company development. Partnered with BioInnovation Institute to launch Ibnova Therapeutics as reNEW's first spin-out company.
• Cellular IntelligencemajorTechnology or IntegrationNew partner taking over future development of STEM-PD project. STEM-PD is a novel stem cell therapy using human stem cell-derived dopamine producing nerve cells for Parkinson's disease treatment.
• NcardiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeiden-based biotech company collaborating with Richard Davis and Christine Mummery groups to develop automated production platform for 3D cardiac microtissues for cardiac drug development.
• SartoriusmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiotech company collaboration with Richard Davis and Christine Mummery groups for AI-based image analysis to study chemotherapy drug cardiotoxicity using stem cell-derived heart cultures.
• Roche Institute of Human BiologymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Kim Bak Jensen's group at reNEW Copenhagen on intestinal structure and cell maturation research, published in Cell Stem Cell.
• Lund UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in STEM-PD clinical trial for Parkinson's disease. Professor Malin Parmar from Lund University guided preclinical development of the stem cell therapy.
• Cambridge UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in STEM-PD clinical trial for Parkinson's disease. Professor Roger Barker from Cambridge University involved in preclinical development and clinical trial leadership.
• NIVI Research Center (Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between NIVI research arm and MCRI (reNEW Melbourne) to accelerate development of a vaccine against Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) infection.
• International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to host ISSCR 2028 Annual Meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark (June 27-30, 2028). reNEW researchers actively involved in ISSCR leadership (Megan Munsie on Executive Committee), guidelines development, and Public Service Awards.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BlueRock Therapeutics: Bayer-owned developer of iPSC-derived cell therapies, with lead programs in Parkinson's disease (dopaminergic neurons) and cardiology — direct overlap with reNEW's STEM-PD Parkinson's program and reNEW's cardiac/MCRI node work (and the Ibnova spin-out). Both organizations translate iPSC platforms into clinical cell therapy candidates.
• Aspen Neuroscience: Developer of autologous iPSC-derived dopaminergic neuron therapies for Parkinson's disease. Directly comparable to reNEW's STEM-PD program (allogeneic iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons) — competing approaches to the same disease using the same underlying cell type.
• Fate Therapeutics: Clinical-stage iPSC-derived cell therapy company with a broad pipeline of NK and T cell product candidates. Comparable platform-driven, multi-program iPSC approach analogous to reNEW's multi-theme (EXPLORE/reSOLVE/reBUILD/reWRITE/PREPARE) model.
• Century Therapeutics: Clinical-stage iPSC-derived allogeneic cell therapy company developing NK and T cell therapies. Comparable as a platform-based iPSC therapy developer with multiple programs and a translational focus similar to reNEW's portfolio model.
• bit.bio: UK-based developer of iPSC-derived human cell types for drug discovery and cell therapy, using a proprietary opti-ox differentiation platform. Overlaps with reNEW's disease modeling (reSOLVE theme) and cardiac microtissue programs, and shares the iPSC platform foundation.
• Semma Therapeutics (Vertex Pharmaceuticals): Vertex's stem cell-derived islet cell therapy program for type 1 diabetes. Directly comparable to reNEW Leiden's islet replacement therapy work led by Françoise Carlotti (Breakthrough T1D-funded). Both are advancing stem cell-derived beta cell replacement into the clinic.

Broad incumbents

• Novo Nordisk: Global pharmaceutical leader and parent foundation's commercial arm, with growing strategic focus on cell therapy (including a cardiovascular cell therapy partnership with Heartseed). Connected to reNEW through the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and a likely commercialization route for reNEW-originated therapies.

Others

• International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR): Global scientific society setting standards and guidelines for stem cell research. Not a commercial peer, but reNEW is deeply embedded in ISSCR leadership (CEO Melissa Little recognized; Megan Munsie on Executive Committee) and will host ISSCR 2028 in Copenhagen — making it a key ecosystem peer rather than competitor.
• STEMCELL Technologies: Leading supplier of cell culture media, reagents, and tools for stem cell research. While not a therapy developer, it is a critical infrastructure provider for the stem cell research ecosystem that reNEW operates in, and supplies many of the tools underpinning reNEW's iPSC and organoid workflows.

Emerging players

• Heartseed: Japanese clinical-stage developer of iPSC-derived cardiac stem cell therapies (HS-001) for heart failure. Direct comparability to reNEW's cardiac regeneration work led by Enzo Porrello at the Melbourne node, though smaller and at an earlier commercial stage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/renew_global
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/novo-nordisk-foundation-center-for-stem-cell-medicine-renew
• Instagraminstagram.com/re

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine – reNEW