Patent Granted

RNS Number : 9768V

Stem Cell Sciences plc

05 June 2008

 



Press Release 

STEM CELL SCIENCES GRANTED EUROPEAN PATENT
ON HEScGRO™ and EScGRO™ MEDIA

("Stem Cell Sciences", "SCS")

5 June 2008

Stem Cell Sciences plc (AIM:STEM, ASX:STC) today announced that the European Patent

Office has granted a patent that protects its existing range of embryonic stem cell culture media.  The media, marketed in Europe under the brands HEScGRO™ and EScGRO™, are used in the

culture of embryonic stem cells from human and mouse, respectively.

The granted patent, EP Patent 1504086, covers cell culture media that use a combination of signalling molecules called Bone Morphogenetic Protein ('BMP') and Leukaemia Inhibitory

Factor ('LIF'). Stem Cell Sciences' BMP+LIF media products can be used to culture both human

and mouse embryonic stem cells without the use of animal serum. To meet the higher control

requirements of human cell culture, HEScGRO™ is in addition fully defined and free from animal components.

"The availability of serum-free and fully defined media is of vital importance when cultivating

embryonic stem cells," explained Dr Tim Allsopp, Chief Scientific Officer of Stem Cell Sciences.  "In

many applications of human stem cell technology, such as the production of human

therapeutics, the use of animal products is deemed unacceptable by the clinical community and

regulatory authorities.  In all stem cell research, the use of serum is highly undesirable, because

serum contains signalling molecules that can cause stem cells to differentiate. This process of

'differentiation' is uncontrollable and irreversible, and neutralizes the very advantage that a

naturally replenishing culture of stem cells is meant to provide."

Dr Alastair Riddell, CEO of Stem Cell Sciences, added, "The increasing use of stem cells in drug

discovery has created a strongly growing demand for high quality cell culture media products.

Stem Cell Sciences has granted an exclusive licence to Millipore, a world leader in the field of life

science consumables, to produce and distribute its HEScGRO™ and EScGRO™ products.  We are

delighted that the intellectual property covering these products has now been formally recognised

in Europe."

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Stem Cell Sciences plc (United Kingdom)

Alastair Riddell, CEO

Tim Allsopp, Chief Scientific Officer

[phone]

Halsin Partners (United Kingdom)

Michael Sinclair, Director

[phone]

Stem Cell Sciences Pty Ltd (Australia)

Paul Bello, Scientific Programme Manager

[phone]

Talk Biotech (Australia)

Fay Weston, Director

[phone]

Notes to Editors

Stem Cell Sciences plc (SCS, AIM:STEM, ASX:STC) in a leading provider of cells and cell culture media to the burgeoning stem cell research market. The successful application of stem cells in both research and clinical applications is the reproducible supply of pure, fully characterised stem cells and stem cell-derived specialised cells such as nerves and muscle. By providing these products, to the life sciences industry and academia for use in basic research and drug discovery, Stem Cell Sciences has multiple potential revenue streams.

Stem Cell Sciences has multiple industry collaborations, including Millipore Corporation for the

marketing and distribution of HEScGRO™, its serum free media for the growth of human

embryonic stem cells and Merck & Co for the use of mouse neural stem cell technology for

research applications.

To access cutting edge technologies on a rapid and on-going basis, Stem Cell Sciences has built

an exceptional network of highly interactive collaborations with academic centres of excellence in

the stem cell field. These collaborations have been the source of our founding technologies and continue to provide an expanding pipeline of products and intellectual property that are central to

the Company's strategy and success. 

For further information on the company please visit:  www.stemcellsciences.com.

 

END

 

 

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