Patients suffering from a rotator cuff or ACL injury could have access to a whole new type of treatment in five years if Adam Jakus, CEO of PRO Therapeutics, has his way.
The Manchester-based company, founded in 2023, is developing manufactured biological tissue to repair tendons, ligaments and muscles. That tissue can help catalyze the body’s own regeneration.
“We’re restoring body parts back to what they were,” Jakus says. “We represent a new wave of medical technologies where you’re creating biological solutions to physical problems that have traditionally been treated mechanically,” often with metal or plastic implants.
The technology that PRO Therapeutics uses was developed at the University of Michigan lab of Lisa Larkin, the company’s founder, president, and chief scientific officer.
However, the company is based in NH as Manchester is home to the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI), a U.S. Department of Defense-sponsored institute aimed at advancing regenerative medicine technologies. The institute is “focused on bringing about a new industry in the U.S. for tissue and organ manufacturing,” Jakus says.
Both Larkin and Jakus were previously involved in ARMI, and it made sense to use the facilities, expertise and other resources at the Manchester site for PRO Therapeutics. “ARMI is a powerhouse of expertise,” Jakus says. “We’ve got the entire ARMI team behind us.”
PRO Therapeutics has two full-time employees in Manchester, in addition to Jakus and Larkin. Finding the right team members has been “the most critical thing,” Jakus says.
Since its formation, the company has focused on establishing a facility, improving methods and processes, and navigating the regulatory landscape. Jakus is fundraising ahead of phase one clinical trials planned for 2026. The product could be commercially available in three to five years, he says. While the timeline is long, Jakus can see a clear path to commercialization. “That’s simply how advanced medical products are,” he says. “Introducing a biological project isn’t a simple technical task.” PRO Therapeutics taps into scientific and clinical advisory boards to ensure that the surgeons who will eventually use the product have input on its development.
