In the evolving landscape of organ donation, Ossium Health’s CEO and co-founder, Kevin Caldwell, emphasizes, “Today’s ecosystem is based around living volunteers.” While the United States has long relied on a traditional organ donor system, the practice of collecting bone marrow from deceased donors has not been established like the collection of other vital organs such as hearts, lungs, kidneys, and livers. For years, the medical community has faced significant challenges in developing an effective method for extracting bone marrow cells from deceased individuals or creating efficient cryopreservation processes to store these valuable cells for future needs.
Ossium CEO and cofounder Kevin Caldwell.
Photograph: Chris Whonsetler
“Unlike a solid organ, you can’t just transplant bone marrow into the nearest person who is roughly the right size who needs it,” Caldwell explains, highlighting the intricacies involved in bone marrow transplantation. “You really have to have a close genetic match between the donor and the recipient.” This genetic compatibility is crucial for ensuring the success of the transplant and minimizing the risk of rejection by the recipient’s immune system.
Since its inception in 2016, Caldwell reports that Ossium has “processed thousands of donors,” though the exact figure concerning the number of donors in their bank remains confidential. Given the advancements in their technology, Ossium’s cryogenically preserved bone marrow has already been utilized in transplants for three individuals, including a patient from Michigan, with plans for a fourth transplant scheduled in the near future.
Robert Negrin, a prominent professor of medicine at Stanford University and the vice president of the American Society of Hematology, regards these transplants as an “important milestone” in the field. However, he notes that the true effectiveness of this technique for cancer patients is still uncertain. “We have other options that work pretty well,” he comments, alluding to alternatives such as partially matched donor transplants and cord blood transplants. “But there are always situations that could fall through the cracks.”
Negrin sees enormous potential for deceased donor bone marrow transplants to assist patients undergoing organ transplants, who currently must adhere to lifelong immunosuppressive drug regimens in order to prevent their body from rejecting the new organ. He suggests that since immune cells are produced in the bone marrow, if patients could receive a bone marrow transplant from the same donor, they could—at least theoretically—cease their reliance on immunosuppressive medications.
**Interview with Kevin Caldwell, CEO and Co-Founder of Ossium Health**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Kevin. It’s exciting to hear about the advances in the organ donation landscape, particularly your work in bone marrow extraction. Can you start by explaining why the traditional organ donation system has not expanded to include deceased bone marrow donors?
**Kevin Caldwell:** Absolutely, and thanks for having me. The traditional organ donation system has focused primarily on solid organs like hearts, lungs, and kidneys, which can be transplanted quickly and often have well-established protocols. However, with bone marrow, the process is much more complex. Unlike solid organs, you can’t simply transplant bone marrow without careful matching and preparation.
**Editor:** That makes sense. You mentioned that the ecosystem currently revolves around living volunteers. What challenges does that present in terms of meeting demand for bone marrow transplants?
**Kevin Caldwell:** The reliance on living donors creates severe limitations. There are simply not enough willing donors to meet the needs of patients requiring transplants. Additionally, the process of collecting and storing bone marrow cells from living individuals has its own set of challenges. Our goal at Ossium is to change that narrative by establishing a framework to efficiently collect and preserve bone marrow from deceased donors, which could dramatically increase the availability of this vital resource.
**Editor:** What steps is Ossium Health taking to overcome these challenges?
**Kevin Caldwell:** We are actively researching and developing efficient methods for extracting bone marrow cells from deceased individuals, as well as creating effective cryopreservation techniques. This would allow us to store these vital cells for future needs, making them readily available for those in urgent need of treatment. The technology is still in its early stages, but we’re optimistic about its potential impact.
**Editor:** That sounds promising! How do you envision the future of bone marrow donation evolving in the U.S.?
**Kevin Caldwell:** I envision a system where communities understand the importance of bone marrow donation from both living and deceased individuals. Our goal is to create an environment that normalizes the idea of deceased bone marrow donation, much like we see with solid organ donation today. As awareness grows and procedures become standardized, I believe we can significantly increase the number of donors and, in turn, save countless lives.
**Editor:** Thank you for sharing these insights, Kevin. It sounds like Ossium Health is paving the way for a transformative change in organ donation practices.
**Kevin Caldwell:** Thank you! We’re dedicated to making a difference and appreciate the opportunity to discuss this vital topic.