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Biotech / Medical : ARIAD Pharmaceuticals -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: scott_jiminez who wrote (1158)	4/20/2000 9:27:00 AM
From: nigel bates	Respond to of 4474

April 20, 2000-- ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARIA - news) today announced that the growth and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells -- cells that have the capability to turn into any cell type and tissue -- can be controlled using the ARIAD Regulated Gene Expression Technology (ARGENT(tm)) system. ARIAD and its collaborators at the University of Washington have overcome several of the major limitations to the development of stem cell therapy -- the inability to efficiently transfer genes into these rare cells, to control their growth, and to direct their differentiation towards the desired cell type and tissue. The research led by C. Anthony Blau, M.D. establishes the feasibility of controlling the growth and development of rare stem cells and other progenitor cells into specialized cell types, such as neurons, bone, cartilage, pancreatic islet cells, heart muscle cells, and different types of blood cells. ARIAD's collaborators have successfully engineered stem cells with a ``growth switch' using the ARGENT system for small-molecule control of cellular function. The rate and extent of growth of these engineered stem cells can be regulated by altering the dose of ARIAD's gene-targeted drug. The desired type of specialized cell can be selected by choosing a particular regulated growth receptor and engineering it into the stem cells. Dr. Blau's group demonstrated, for the first time, the expansion of genetically modified primary human blood cells with AP1903, ARIAD's gene-targeted drug. They showed that AP1903 could be used to grow a specific population of red blood cells from progenitor cells isolated from human cord blood. This suggests that patients with genetic blood disorders may be treated by administering stem cells that have been engineered with the ARGENT gene regulation system and then dosed with AP1903 to stimulate the production of modified blood cells in the body. Results of this study were published in part in the January 2000 issue of Blood. ARIAD also announced today the expansion of its ongoing collaboration with the University of Washington involving the development of stem cell therapy products, and the exclusive licensing of two of its patent applications covering methods for controlling the growth and differentiation of stem cells and other progenitor cells using ARGENT. Under the terms of the agreements, ARIAD also will receive rights to all intellectual property and inventions made using ARIAD's technology as part of the collaboration. ``Stem cells are `master cells' that have the potential to be used to treat multiple diseases and to be a universal source of replacement cells for transplantation. Their promise in medicine was selected by the editors of Science as the 1999 Breakthrough of the Year. We anticipate further refining the applications of ARGENT to stem cell therapy and focusing on the evolving product opportunities, including the treatment of cancer and genetic diseases and for organ regeneration,' said Harvey J. Berger, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer. C. Anthony Blau, M.D., assistant professor of medicine (hematology) at the University of Washington School of Medicine, added ``an especially attractive feature of ARGENT-based stem cell therapy is its potential for specifically regulating the growth and differentiation of engineered cells in vitro and in vivo with small-molecule drugs.'