REUTERS) StemCells wins two new patents, shares jump
StemCells wins two new patents, shares jump
NEW YORK, June 7 (Reuters) - StemCells Inc. <STEM.O> on
Thursday said it won two U.S. patents involving the harvest of
neural stem cells and the identification of stem cells for the
pancreas and liver in mice, spurring a rally in shares of the
biotech firm.
Shares of Palo Alto, California-based StemCells were up 63
cents, or 19.2 percent, to $3.91 on the Nasdaq. They have
traded in the past year in a range of $1.47 to $11.67.
Stem cells are a variety of naturally occurring cells that
theoretically can be harvested, grown in laboratories and then
injected in patients to regenerate tissues of specific organs.
Neural cells, for instance, are being researched to see if
they can help treat patients with neurological ailments like
Parkinson's Disease.
StemCells said one of its two new patents covers a new
method to separate neural stem cells in order to grow them in
culture.
"This method allows us to expand and harvest a
significantly greater number of viable cells than was
previously possible. It should help us to develop a more
efficient manufacturing process for human neural stem cells and
to scale up production of cells as we continue our preclinical
research and development," said Dr. Nobuko Uchida, a research
executive for the firm.
The company said it now owns or has exclusive licenses to
25 issued U.S. patents in the neural stem cell field.
The second patent covers a means of identifying stem cells
for the pancreas and liver in mice, which the company said
might help lead to ways of isolating human stem cells capable
of regenerating the two organs in people.
"The advantage conferred by these mice is that they provide
a source of actively regenerating cells, possibly stem cells,
from the pancreas," the company said in a prepared statement.
((Ransdell Pierson, Health Desk, 212 859-1736))
REUTERS
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