NEWS FROM THE ADULT STEM CELL TECHNOLOGY CENTER

AT BOSTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

"Stem Cell Patent No. 3 at Boston Biomedical Research Institute"

On July 2, the Adult Stem Cell Technology Center of the Boston Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI) learned of a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent Office for its investigators' invention of "Methods for ex vivo propagation of adult hepatic stem cells."  The new patent describes a method for mass-producing human liver adult stem cells that can give rise to cells with properties of mature human liver cells.  Mature human liver cells are essential for drug testing.  In addition, they can be used to supplement diseased livers and, in the future, perhaps replace them altogether.  The new patent is the third addition so far this year to the Center's growing portfolio of technologies for producing and quantifying human adult stem cells that have applications in disease research and biomedicine.  A technology portfolio comprising licensing-ready, patented technologies is an important asset for the BBRI Center in its mission of partnering with life sciences companies to accelerate their success in developing new cell-based therapies, medical products, and cell research products.  This third stem cell patent supports an ongoing partnership with WaterSep Technology Corporation (Marlborough, MA) to develop human liver cell devices for drug discovery and drug development applications.

Contact:  James Sherley, M.D., Ph.D.

                    sherleyj@bbri.org