Stem Cell Sciences Ltd and Sosei Establish Joint Venture in Stem Cell Therapy Field - Going Global in Japan
KOBE, Japan, May 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Stem Cell Sciences Ltd (SCS) and Sosei Co Ltd (Sosei) today jointly announced a significant initiative with the formation of a new Japanese biotechnology company, Stem Cell Sciences KK (SCS KK). The new company is headquartered in the recently established Kobe Frontier Medicine Precinct.
"The project has progressed quickly and smoothly through the close relationships developed between SCS, Sosei, the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (RIKEN CDB) and the Kobe City Government," said Shinichi Tamura, CEO of Sosei.
"We see a great future for SCS KK as a partner for SCS in this global initiative. We intend to nurture this kind of joint venture in Japan with Western biotech companies when we see strong synergy between their business strategy and evolving Japanese situation, whilst maintaining our focus on product development as Sosei's core business." he said.
Licenses granted to SCS KK by SCS are for the SCS patented stem cell technologies relating to the growth, differentiation and purification of embryonic stem cells. These technologies provide a range of highly purified cell types, such as neurons and cardiac cells, for gene and drug discovery. SCS technologies have already been licensed to world leading pharmaceutical companies such as Aventis and Glaxo Smith Kline, as well as other biopharmaceutical companies.
SCS KK will exclusively market the discovery platform technologies of SCS and those developed by SCS KK throughout Asia. SCS in turn will market the combined technologies in all other territories, and partner with SCS KK to create safe and effective stem cell-based therapies for the global market.
SCS KK will also undertake collaborative research and development programs with world leading stem cell researchers at the newly created RIKEN CDB. SCS KK and SCS will combine in-house technologies with those arising from their academic research collaborations such as ones with RIKEN CDB and the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Genome Research (CGR), accelerating discovery and progress towards new cell therapies.
As an integral part of the SCS global alliance, SCS KK will directly address the important regulatory, manufacturing and marketing requirements specific to cell therapies in Japan. "While the framework is still unfolding, we are pleased with progress and outcomes to date" said Dr Peter Mountford, CEO of SCS. "Japan's green light for human ES cell research is the first of many steps on the path to new human medicines."
SCS KK commercial operations will start immediately through presentation of SCS discovery technologies to the Japanese pharmaceutical industry.
"I have been enormously impressed with the foresight and commitment of the Japanese and Kobe City governments in building this magnificent new precinct for frontier human medicines" said Dr. Mountford, "and I don't know of another project like it anywhere in the world. It not only links outstanding basic research with cutting edge clinical capability, but is also fostering the development and global participation of the emerging Japanese biotechnology industry."
"We're delighted that SCS KK is the first collaborative research sponsor for the RIKEN CDB and one of the founding biotech companies of the Kobe Frontier Medicine Precinct. I am certain the opportunities available in Kobe will attract many other international biotech firms to Japan," he said.
SCS KK appointed Kenzo Nakajima, Executive Vice President and COO of Sosei, as Acting CEO. "Taking advantage of pursuing the collaborative research and development programs with the world leading stem cell researchers in combination with the stem cell technology platform licensed from SCS, SCS KK will be enormously competitive in this emerging field not only in Japan but also in the world. We, as SCS KK, envisage the initial stage of our operations will be to generate revenues through sponsored research and/or licensing of SCS discovery technologies to the Japanese pharmaceutical industry, but our medium- and long-term focus will remain in the research and development of cell based therapies.
Notes to Editors
SCS KK
SCS KK is headquartered in Kobe, one of Japan's most international cities located on the Bay of Osaka. As a founder company in the City of Kobe Medical Industry Development Project and the first Japanese stem cell therapy company, SCS KK has been strongly encouraged and supported by the Project team.
SCS Limited
SCS is a public unlisted Australian company undertaking ground-breaking research on stem cells for immediate application in drug and gene discovery and longer-term applications to regenerative medical therapies. SCS has established offices and laboratories in Melbourne and Edinburgh, Scotland.
Sosei Co., Ltd.
Sosei is a leading private Japanese biopharmaceutical company focused on drug development. It enriches the core product pipeline via in-licensing compounds at late-stages of development from Western and Japanese companies, by its distinctive drug re-profiling platform (DRP) and through its internal R&D, capitalizing on its extensive global network established over the past 10 years. (http://www.sosei.com)
The Centre for Genome Research (CGR)
CGR at the University of Edinburgh is a multidisciplinary research institute focused on the molecular, cellular and developmental biology of stem cells. The institution's mission is to acquire a mechanistic understanding of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation processes and ultimately to provide scientific foundations for implementation of regenerative medicines to treat human disease and injury. The CGR is internationally recognized as a center of excellence in stem cell research and technology.
RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (RIKEN CDB)
RIKEN, the largest publicly funded research institute in Japan, established the RIKEN CDB as a unique center of research excellence in developmental biology. It was officially opened in April 2002 at its new buildings at the Kobe Frontier Medicine Precinct. RIKEN CDB has been designed as an international institute funded by the Japanese government, and is part of the Kobe Medical Industry Development Project. This visionary project includes the Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation as well as Kobe City General Hospital, plus associated infrastructure to allow the development of entrepreneurial biomedical companies for both research and commercialization.
SOURCE: Sosei Co Ltd |
