Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CYTX) received two Notices of Allowance
from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for patents, which cover methods
related to the Celution®
System output. These patent allowances add specific commercial
applications to U.S. Patent No. 7,390,484, issued in June 2008, which
covers the Celution System technology that processes adipose-derived
stem and regenerative cells at a patient’s
bedside. The new patent allowances will provide significant additional
protection for wide-ranging formulations and applications of the
Celution System output.
One patent allowance covers methods for cooling and cryopreserving
(freezing) the Celution System output (i.e., adipose-derived stem and
regenerative cells) relevant to the Company’s
cell banking platform. Currently, Cytori is manufacturing its Celution
System in the United States to be sold as part its StemSource®
business, which is a comprehensive cell banking product being offered in
Europe, Asia and other parts of the world.
A second patent allowance covers methods to combine the Celution System
output with additives such as scaffolds, matrices, or other agents to
increase therapeutic effect, optimize or localize cell delivery, enhance
specific cell properties or promote cell differentiation. The additives
covered by the claims include, but are not limited to the following:
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An agent that promotes cell differentiation, including growth factors,
cytokines, proteins, pharmaceuticals, among others;
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Demineralized bone, tissue, or tissue fragment;
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Biological or artificial scaffold; and
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Immunosuppressive compound, antibiotic, or antimicrobial agent.
Delivery of the stem and regenerative cells may be improved by combining
the cells with a scaffold or matrix; for example, demineralized bone may
be combined with the Celution output to support orthopedic repair. The
Celution output may also be combined with drugs, proteins, genes, or
other agents to enhance cell properties or to induce the cells to
differentiate. For example, combining adipose-derived stem and
regenerative cells with hyaluronic acid has been shown
preclinically to regenerate damaged spinal disc.
The Company’s intellectual property portfolio
related to the devices, methods and uses of adipose-derived stem and
regenerative cells includes eight U.S. and international patents and
over 120 applications pending worldwide. Combined with Cytori’s
proprietary know-how, exclusive supply agreements, and instrumentation,
greater barriers-to-entry are being created to offer what the Company
believes is the only safe, high-quality and effective adipose
tissue-derived stem and regenerative cell processing device.
About Cytori
Cytori's (NASDAQ: CYTX) goal is to be the global leader in regenerative
medicine. The company is dedicated to providing patients with new
options for reconstructive surgery, developing treatments for
cardiovascular disease, and banking patients' adult stem and
regenerative cells. The Celution®
800 System is being introduced in Europe and Asia Pacific into the
reconstructive surgery market while the Celution®
900 System is being commercialized globally for cryopreserving a
patient's own stem and regenerative cells. Clinical trials are ongoing
in cardiovascular disease and planned for spinal disc degeneration,
gastrointestinal disorders, and other unmet medical needs. www.cytoritx.com
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding events,
trends and business prospects, which may affect our future operating
results and financial position. Such statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position
to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties include, but
are not limited to, statements regarding the private placement, the
expected closing of the private placement, the number of additional
shares that could be sold in connection with exercise of warrants issued
in the private placement, a need for further financing, our plans for
expanding commercialization of our Celution®
800/CRS System and for global marketing efforts for our Celution
System-based StemSource®
Cell Bank business, and other risks and uncertainties described under
the heading "Risk Factors" in Cytori's Securities and Exchange
Commission filings. We assume no responsibility to update or revise any
forward-looking statements to reflect events, trends or circumstances
after the date they are made.
Cytori Therapeutics
Tom Baker, 858-875-5258
tbaker@cytoritx.com