Living Cell Technologies Limited (LCT) received formal notification that it has been granted E.U. Patent No. 1,438,395 from the European Patent Office (EPO). The patent protects the ability to culture two different types of cells derived from Auckland Island pigs, therefore enabling the assembly and maintenance of a mix of cells or artificial tissue in culture for xenotransplantation therapies.
Professor Bob Elliott, LCT’s Medical Director said, “Whilst we have successfully taken single cell animal transplant treatments into the clinic, a number of chronic disease states could benefit from transplantation of a mix of cells or artificial tissue that work together to ensure survival and appropriate function.”
The patent will be assigned to Diatranz Otsuka Limited (DOL), a joint venture company established by LCT and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc. to commercialise xenotransplantation for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. LCT has a 50 per cent shareholding in DOL, and a service agreement to supply research and development and administrative services to the joint venture. Under the Services and Products agreement, DOL will supply pig cells to LCT for use in developing new xenotransplantation treatments in non-diabetes related disease areas, including neurodegenerative disorders.
Living Cell Technologies (LCT) is developing cell-based products to treat life threatening human diseases. The Company holds 50% of Diatranz Otsuka Limited which owns a bio- certified pig herd that it uses as a source of cells and DIABECELL® which is designed to help normalise the lives of people with unstable Type 1 diabetes, especially those suffering from life-threatening episodes of unaware hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), a dangerous and potentially fatal diabetes complication. Using breakthrough proprietary microencapsulation technology, IMMUPELTM, which enables implantation of cell-based therapeutics without immunosuppression, LCT is developing NTCELL, a choroid plexus cell product which is currently in preclinical development to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, stroke, and hearing loss. LCT also offers medical-grade porcine-derived products for the repair and replacement of damaged tissues, as well as for research and other purposes.
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