LCT granted E.U. Patent for Tissue Engineering

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.

Dr Andrea Grant, LCT's CEO, said, "This patent adds to a still growing portfolio of intellectual property and protects future product development opportunities in a range of chronic diseases, particularly those requiring transplantation of a mix of cells or artificially engineered tissues. This patent award means we are well poised to take full advantage of developments in the fields of cell and tissue engineering in our animal transplantation platform."