2nd Nov 2006 07:01
Stem Cell Sciences plc02 November 2006 Embargoed until 07.00 2 November 2006 Stem Cell Sciences plc ("Stem Cell Sciences", "SCS" or "the Group") Stem Cell Sciences' NS Cells to begin Preclinical Trials for Spinal Cord Injury Stem Cell Sciences plc (AIM:STEM), the global biotechnology company focused onthe commercialisation of stem cells and stem cell technologies in research andnovel cell-based therapies, is pleased to announce that the Group's Neural StemCells (NS cells) will enter preclinical testing for spinal cord injury in agroundbreaking collaboration with the world-renowned Regenerative MedicineInstitute (REMEDI) at the National University of Ireland, Galway ("NUI Galway"). The initial study will examine the ability of the NS cells to provide functionalimprovements in models of spinal cord injury at REMEDI. Spinal cord injury affects more than 25 million people worldwide, with 130,000new cases reported each year. It represents a considerable social and economiccost to both families and countries. "It's a really exciting opportunity for us to test our NS cells in preclinicalmodels of spinal cord injury" said SCS's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr TimAllsopp. "We will examine how the cells remain viable, engraft and supportnatural repair processes. We are really pleased to be collaborating with NUIGalway's Regenerative Medicine Institute". Stem Cell Sciences' NS cells are unique in that they can be grown in serum-freeand feeder-free cell culture conditions. Potentially, this makes them veryeffective when used in a variety of cell-based therapeutics. Professor Frank Barry, REMEDI's Scientific Director and a world-leadingscientist in stem cell therapy, said: "For REMEDI to be able to evaluate a 'bestin class' neural stem cell in conjunction with a world-leading company is agreat opportunity for us, and underscores the efforts we are making in Irelandin finding novel therapeutic solutions for currently incurable conditions." Initial study results are expected in the first quarter of 2007. If this studyproves successful, Stem Cell Sciences and REMEDI plan to expand thecollaboration with more extensive testing. "It would be a great step forward if we demonstrate efficacy for our NS cells inthis model" said Dr Peter Mountford, Chief Executive Officer of SCS. "With ourcapabilities in novel cell culture media development and stem cell uses in drugdiscovery, our next step was always to move into pre-clinical trials of illnessand disease, using the NS cells." Dr Daniel O'Mahony, Director of Technology Transfer at NUI Galway said, "We arebringing together two technology leaders in their respective fields in thedevelopment of new treatments for spinal cord injury. This collaboration betweenREMEDI and SCS reinforces our commitment to industrial collaborations and toprogressing technologies from the laboratory to the market place." - Ends - For further information, please contact: Stem Cell Sciences plc 0131 662 9829Hugh Ilyine, Chief Operating OfficerSue Furber, Director of Finance & Company Secretary Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) +353 (0)91 495198Ita Murphy MSc, Communications and Outreach Manager Weber Shandwick | Square Mile 020 7067 0700James White Notes to EditorsStem Cell Sciences plc (SCS, AIM: STEM) is a global biotechnology company,established in Melbourne, Australia in 1994, providing products in theburgeoning stem cell research and drug discovery markets, in addition to thetargeted development of cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative disease andinjury. The Company has established a leading intellectual property (IP) and technologyportfolio that enables the commercial application of stem cells in drugdiscovery, providing the Company with early-stage revenue streams and technologydevelopment for at scale cell production of SCS cell-based therapeutics. SCS principal focus is in neurological disease. Revenues in the neurotechmarket, including pharmaceuticals, devices and diagnostics, grew 10% in 2005 toUS$110 billion*. SCS operates as a group of independent operations with laboratories in Scotland,Japan and Australia, each of which is affiliated with an academic centre ofexcellence. These include the Institute of Stem Cell Research (ISCR), Edinburgh,UK, RIKEN Centre for Development Biology, Kobe, Japan and the Australian StemCell Centre, Melbourne, Australia. SCS has four business units focused on key sustainable business strategies.SC Proven(R) provides cell culture media (liquid formulations) and reagents thatenable the growth and differentiation of stem cells. The first commerciallyavailable product, a novel, serum free, stem cell growth medium, has beenexclusively licensed for manufacture and marketing to Chemicon, part ofMillipore Corporation. SC Licensing licenses SCS proprietary technologies, such as Internal RibosomeEntry Site (IRES) and Stem Cell Selection, for application in laboratory-basedresearch and discovery. SCS has licensed technology to major pharmaceutical andbiotechnology companies including Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, GSK, Deltagen Inc andLexicon Genetics Inc. SC Services provides specialised stem cell production for basic research anddrug discovery, including high-throughput applications. SC Therapies' goal is to develop safe and effective cell-based therapies forcurrently incurable diseases. SCS is conducting preclinical evaluations of itsneural stem cell lines in a number of therapeutic applications. The firstpreclinical programme is being undertaken by SCS' Japanese affiliate, whichrecently announced the exclusive licensing of human multi-potent adipose-derivedstem (hMADS) cells for therapeutic purposes. SCS KK will conduct preclinicalstudies for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in 2006. For further information on the company please visit www.stemcellsciences.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
SThree