More good news on islet cell transplantation with MGH today
BioTransplant Presents Progress in Transplantation of Cells, Tissues and Organs
CHARLESTOWN, Mass., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- BioTransplant Incorporated (Nasdaq: BTRN) and its collaborators at the Massachusetts General Hospital's (MGH) Transplantation Biology Research Center (TBRC), today reported on a novel strategy for the induction of tolerance in pancreatic islet cell transplantation across allogeneic barriers, which may have practical application in pig-to-human xenotransplantation for the treatment of diabetes using BioTransplant's proprietary ImmunoCognance(TM) technology. Presenting at the 18th International Congress of the Transplantation Society in Rome, Italy, Rolf Barth, M.D., of the TBRC described a new method for the creation of vascularized islet grafts as part of composite islet-kidney and thymo-islet kidney in a large animal model. The transplanted islet cells demonstrated sufficient function to regulate glucose levels in miniature swine recipients.
The abstract, "Creation of Functional Composite Vascularized Islet Allografts in Miniature Swine," was one of 45 which were presented at the meeting by BioTransplant researchers and their collaborators. In addition, Dr. David Sachs, Chairman of the BioTransplant Scientific Advisory Board and Director of the TBRC, and Dr. David Cooper of the TBRC chaired, and participated in the Congress' Plenary Sessions on Xenotransplantation.
Earlier this week, BioTransplant presented data indicating that the company may have developed a breed of pig that does not produce porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) which is capable of productively infecting human cells. This important study was highlighted in the Transplantation Congress Newsletter.
BioTransplant's technology is designed to enable long-term acceptance of specific transplanted cells, tissues or organs by re-educating the patient's immune system to recognize donor tissue as "self." This approach, called ImmunoCognance(TM), is based on mixing elements of the donor's immune system with that of the recipient to establish recognition of the donor's tissues as "self" which leads to functional transplantation tolerance. The Company believes that in cancer therapy, this technology may enhance rejection of tumor cells via the donor's immune system. In transplantation, the Company believes that this technology has the potential to reduce or eliminate the need for lifelong anti-rejection or immunosuppressive drug therapy and to significantly improve a patient's clinical outcome as well as the overall costs of transplantation.
Additional compelling advances by BioTransplant on these strategies were presented throughout the week at the Congress in Rome including:
new approaches to optimize non-myeloablative conditioning protocols for allogeneic and xenogeneic transplantation tolerance in both small and large animal models.
further proof of principle for the ability of pig thymus to induce tolerance in a primate model
induction of B cell tolerance by gene therapy
induction of tolerization to galactose alpha (1,3)-galactose (GAL, the major xenoantigen on pig cells and tissues that is recognized by antibody in humans) by mixed chimerism in presensitized GAL-transferase -/- mice
This announcement contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements about BioTransplant that involve risks and uncertainties, such as the Company's ability to develop a breed of pig that does not produce replicating PERV and the potential application of the Company's products under development in treating diabetes. Such statements reflect management's current views and are based on assumptions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated as a result of a number of factors. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: BioTransplant's ability to secure the substantial additional funding required for its operations and research and development programs; BioTransplant's ability to successfully discover, develop commercialize its products, obtain required regulatory approvals in a timely fashion, and overcome other difficulties inherent in developing pharmaceuticals and procedures for organ transplantation; BioTransplant's ability to obtain and enforce the patent protection required for its products; uncertainties to the extent of future government regulation of the transplantation business; and BioTransplant's ability to maintain collaborations with third parties. For a detailed discussion of these and other factors, see the section titled "Business Factors Which May Affect Results" in BioTransplant's current annual report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact: Elliot Lebowitz, Ph.D., President and CEO of BioTransplant
Incorporated, 617-241-5200; or Investor - Patricia Dimond, Ph.D. ext. 245, or
Media - Ernie Knewitz, ext. 204, both of Noonan/Russo Communications,
212-696-4455, for BioTransplant Incorporated.
SOURCE BioTransplant Incorporated
CONTACT: Elliot Lebowitz, Ph.D., President and CEO of BioTransplant Incorporated, 617-241-5200; or Investor - Patricia Dimond, Ph.D., ext. 245, or Media - Ernie Knewitz, ext. 204, both of Noonan/Russo Communications, 212-696-4455, for BioTransplant Incorporated/ |
