LINCOLN, R.I.--(BW HealthWire)--Dec. 22, 1998--CytoTherapeutics, Inc.
(Nasdaq:CTII) announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted
patent No. 5,851,832, covering methods for expanding human neural stem cell
cultures, for compositions of human neural stem cell cultures expanded by
these methods, and for use of these cultures in human transplantation and
remyelination. The human neural stem/progenitor cell cultures may be useful
for repairing or replacing damaged central nervous system tissue, including
the brain and the spinal cord. In March 1994, CytoTherapeutics announced that
it had licensed a portfolio of patent applications from NeuroSpheres, Ltd. of
Canada. CytoTherapeutics' neural stem patent estate currently consists of 7
issued U.S. patents and 13 pending U.S. patent applications related to
stem/progenitor cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems.
"We believe the issuance of this patent, with its broad coverage of the
in vitro expansion, composition and use in a broad spectrum of central nervous
system conditions, further solidifies our preeminent position in the neural
stem cell field," stated Richard M. Rose, M.D., President and Chief Executive
Officer. "This proprietary technology enables us to expand neural
stem/progenitor cells in the laboratory, which is a valuable tool for
developing pharmaceutical products and is likely to facilitate the
commercialization of our neural stem cell technology.
"CytoTherapeutics' expects to continue to build its leadership position
in the field of stem cell therapy through discovering and licensing additional
stem cell technology related to other major organ systems in the body, as well
as through capitalizing on uses for these cells beyond the field of
transplantation," continued Dr. Rose.
In preclinical studies, the Company's scientists and collaborators have
already demonstrated the ability to:
-- characterize, proliferate and differentiate human neural
stem/progenitor cell cultures in vitro; -- engraft human neural
stem/progenitor cells into the brains of rodents where the cells differentiate
into the neuronal lineages characteristic of the site into which they are
transplanted; -- engraft human neural stem/progenitor cells into the
spinal cords of myelin-deficient rodents in a model of multiple sclerosis
where the cells differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes; and
-- genetically modify multipotent adult rodent hippocampal neural
stem/progenitor cells to differentiate into neurons and glia.
In November, CytoTherapeutics announced that its scientists and
collaborators presented four abstracts at the 28th Annual Meeting of the
Society for Neuroscience in Los Angeles, California. The abstracts were based
on the use of the Company's proprietary neural stem/progenitor cell cultures
to proliferate in the laboratory, as well as to repair or replace central
nervous system tissue following transplantation into the brains of rodents in
a model for Huntington's disease.
On December 21, 1998, CytoTherapeutics announced that it had licensed
proprietary technology from The Scripps Research Institute developed by Nora
Sarvetnick, Ph.D. The Company expects to use this to identify and isolate the
pancreatic stem/progenitor cell for use in developing a treatment for
diabetes.
CytoTherapeutics, Inc. is developing cell-based human therapeutics. The
Company's encapsulated-cell technology is designed to treat a number of
serious diseases and disorders by delivering therapeutic substances directly
to the site in the body where they are needed. The Company's stem cell
programs seek to repair or repopulate tissue that has been damaged or lost as
a result of disease or injury. For additional information, visit the company's
Internet web site at http://www.cyto.com.
Certain statements in this press release include forward-looking
statements regarding, among other things, management, intellectual property
rights, products, marketing, partnering, product development programs and
clinical trial timing. CytoTherapeutics actual results may vary materially
from those forward looking statements due to risks and uncertainties, such as
delays in obtaining regulatory and other approvals or delays in product
development, the need for additional intellectual property, the possible loss
of existing intellectual property, the failure to achieve anticipated
partnering agreements and other risks to which the company is subject and
which are described in Exhibit 99 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
entitled "Cautionary Factors Relevant to Forward Looking Statements."
For a neural stem cell backgrounder and glossary of terms, contact Karlia
O'Brien at (401) 288-1000, ext. 2105.
CONTACT:
CytoTherapeutics, Inc.
John S. McBride
Exec. Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
(401) 288-1000 ext. 2126
or
CytoTherapeutics, Inc.
Elizabeth A. Razee
Director, Public and Investor Relations
(401) 288-1000 ext. 2132