ADVANCED TISSUE SCIENCES RECEIVES PATENT
PR NEWSWIRE - May 11, 1999 09:27
For Growing Living Cartilage With Mesenchymal Stem Cells
LA JOLLA, Calif., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATIS) announced today the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 5, 902,741 entitled "Three-Dimensional Cartilage Cultures." This patent covers three- dimensional cartilage compositions and methods of growing living cartilage in vitro by inoculating cartilage-producing cells onto biocompatible, non-living scaffolds. The cartilage-producing cells claimed include precursor cells such as mesenchymal stem cells, chondroprogenitor cells, and umbilical cord cells as well as mature chondrocytes and fibroblasts. This patent extends through March 2016.
The newly issued patent is complementary to the Company's patent No. 5, 842,477 entitled "Method for Repairing Cartilage," which issued in December of 1998. This method patent covers use of a three-dimensional scaffold along with cartilage-producing cells and a periosteal flap to repair a defect in vivo. The Company's current patent position now includes 50 issued U.S. patents directly owned by or licensed to Advanced Tissue Sciences.
"The issuance of our cartilage patents is timely as we advance toward clinical trials," said Gail K. Naughton, Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer. "Two-year follow-up on our preclinical trials on small animal models, preclinical studies in a large animal model, and our strengthened patent position make us, together with our joint venture partner, Smith & Nephew, well poised to advance the orthopedic products."
On April 15, 1999 Advanced Tissues Sciences was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Services. This grant, entitled "Enhancing In Vitro Cartilage Synthesis for Human Therapy," will fund development of a bioreactor that applies mechanical stresses to growing cartilage. The bioreactor is designed to stimulate matrix deposition to affect the organizational, structural, and functional properties of cartilage growth. Work funded by this grant is directed at the development of cartilage products for reconstructive applications.
Advanced Tissue Sciences is a tissue engineering company utilizing its proprietary core technology to develop and manufacture human-based tissue products for tissue repair and transplantation. The Company, through its Dermagraft Joint Venture with Smith & Nephew, currently has two products on the market, TransCyte(TM), a temporary covering for third-degree (full- thickness) and second-degree (partial-thickness) burns, and Dermagraft(R), a living dermal replacement for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (currently available in Canada and the United Kingdom). The Company is conducting a multi-center trial for Dermagraft for treating diabetic foot ulcers in the United States and is pursuing additional indications for Dermagraft, including venous and pressure ulcers through the Dermagraft Joint Venture. The Company is also developing products for cartilage and cardiovascular applications.
The discussion contained in this press release relating to research, development, or commercialization of the Company's products involves certain risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that the Company's patents will afford protection against competitors with similar technologies or processes, or that such patents will not be infringed upon or designed around by others. No assurances can be given that the Company will successfully develop any such products, complete clinical trials, obtain regulatory approval (or that any such approval will be obtained on a timely basis), be able to manufacture or successfully commercialize such products. These and other risks are detailed in publicly available filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission such as the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated as a result of such risks.
SOURCE Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc.
-0- 05/11/99 /CONTACT: Cheryl B. Monblatt, Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations of Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc., 619-713-7802/
/Company News On-Call: prnewswire.com or fax, 800-758-5804, ext. 532975/
(ATIS)
CO: Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc. ST: California IN: MTC SU: PDT
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