ReNeuron and CellSeed announce collaboration using ReNcell(TM) liver cell lines Guildford, UK, 30 November 2006: ReNeuron Group plc (LSE: RENE.L) and CellSeed Inc., a privately owned tissue engineering company based in Tokyo, Japan, today announce the signing of a collaboration agreement to develop novel, patented liver cell culture systems for drug safety screening in the pharmaceutical industry. The development work, to be conducted in CellSeed's laboratories in Tokyo, will establish protocols for efficiently developing ReNeuron's patented ReNcell(TM) HEP hepatocyte cell lines in combination with CellSeed's UpCell and HydroCell temperature-sensitive polymer products for 3-dimensional functional liver tissue. 3-D liver culture systems represent the most effective way to assay for human liver toxicity of new drugs. The collaboration will enable the joint development of new, high-value, human cell-based drug discovery products for use in the pharmaceutical industry. If the collaboration is successful, these products are expected to be launched in 2007. ReNeuron's ReNcell(TM) HEP cell lines, developed with the Company's proprietary c-mycER(TAM) cell expansion technology, express similar markers for drug metabolism as those seen with primary adult hepatocytes. Unlike primary hepatocytes, however, ReNcell(TM) HEP cells can be readily expanded to provide a stable, plentiful and well-characterised source of liver cells for cell-based toxicology screening applications. Dr John Sinden, Chief Scientific Officer of ReNeuron, said: "We very much look forward to working with CellSeed. They have developed the ideal complementary technology required to take our ReNcell(TM) HEP cell lines into the engineered tissue field, in order to provide the next generation of commercial drug discovery tools." Dr Yukio Hasegawa, President and CEO of CellSeed said: "We are delighted to be working with a company as innovative as ReNeuron. The combination of CellSeed's UpCell 3-dimensional cell-sheet engineering technology with ReNeuron's cell expansion expertise provides the basis of a completely novel drug screening system." Enquiries: ReNeuron Michael Hunt, Chief Executive Officer Tel: 44 (0)1483 302 560 John Sinden, Chief Scientific Officer Financial Dynamics David Yates Tel: 44 (0)20 7831 3113 Nicola Daley Notes to Editors About ReNeuron Group plc ReNeuron is a leading, UK-based adult stem cell therapy business. The Group is applying its novel stem cell platform technologies in the development of ground-breaking stem cell therapies to serve significant and unmet or poorly-met clinical needs. ReNeuron has used its c-mycER(TAM) technology to generate genetically stable neural stem cell lines. This technology platform has multi-national patent protection and is fully regulated by means of a chemically-induced safety switch. Cell growth can therefore be completely arrested prior to in vivo implantation. The Group's lead stem cell therapy, ReN001 for chronic stroke disability, is in late pre-clinical development. The Company plans to file for approval to commence a Phase I clinical study in stroke by the end of 2006, with the study commencing as soon as possible thereafter. There are an estimated 50 million(1) stroke survivors worldwide, approximately half of which are left with permanent disabilities. The healthcare costs of caring for these patients is estimated to amount to $45 billion(2) in the US alone. ReNeuron has also leveraged its stem cell technologies into non-therapeutic areas - its ReNcell(TM) range of cell lines for use in research and in drug discovery applications in the pharmaceutical industry. ReNeuron's shares are traded on the London AIM market under the symbol RENE.L, and its warrants are traded under the symbol RENW.L. Further information on ReNeuron and its products can be found at www.reneuron.com. (1). MOSES (Morbidity and mortality after stroke - Eprosartan vs nitrendipine for secondary prevention) study, Feb 2006 (2). American Heart Association, Reporting Standards for Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stent Placement, (Stroke, 2004; 35:e112). About CellSeed Inc. CellSeed Inc. is a Japan-based biotechnology innovator committed to development and commercialisation of highly differentiated tissue-engineered products for patients that are not sufficiently served by current medical technologies. CellSeed owns novel cell-sheet engineering technology developed by Professor Okano at Tokyo Women's Medical University. The core technology is based on grafting any kind of synthetic polymers to organic materials covalently at nano-thickness level. When CellSeed's temperature-responsive polymers are grafted to the cell culture surface, the recovery of intact cells retaining important cell surface proteins becomes possible through temperature control. This process avoids the use of potentially damaging enzymatic treatment such as the use of trypsin when detaching cells from the cell culture surface. Cells cultured in this way can be collected in a form of contiguous cell-sheet rather than as isolated cells. This tissue requires no suture when grafted to patients and the cell-sheets can be piled together to create 3-dimensional tissue. CellSeed's lead product is regenerated living cornea epithelium, targeting poor epithelium recovery after corneal grafts and persistent epithelial defects. An IND for this product is being filed in Europe, with initiation of clinical trials expected in 2007. Cellseed is also applying its core technology beyond tissue-regeneration. The Company is distributing its novel cell cultureware products, such as RepCell and HydroCell, for the worldwide research market. The Company also recently launched its Aqua Way series, a novel HPLC column which separates small molecules, peptides and proteins using a temperature-controlled method. Further information on CellSeed can be found at www.cellseed.com. This announcement contains forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business achievements/performance of ReNeuron and certain of the plans and objectives of management of ReNeuron with respect thereto. These statements may generally, but not always, be identified by the use of words such as "should", "expects", "estimates", "believes" or similar expressions. This announcement also contains forward-looking statements attributed to certain third parties relating to their estimates regarding the growth of markets and demand for products. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect ReNeuron's current expectations and assumptions as to future events and circumstances that may not prove accurate. A number of factors could cause ReNeuron's actual financial condition, results of operations and business achievements/performance to differ materially from the estimates made or implied in such forward-looking statements and, accordingly, reliance should not be placed on such statements. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
ReNeuron Group Plc announces Re Agreement
| Source: ReNeuron Group Plc
Guildford, UK -- (MARKET WIRE) -- November 30, 2006 --