ViaCell and Genzyme Corporation announced today that the two companies entered into a collaboration related to diabetes.
Over the next 18 months Genzyme will conduct research to improve production and characterization of islet stem cells, and to undertake preclinical proof-of-concept studies for the transplantation of adult islet stem cells derived from donated pancreatic tissue. ViaCell will work with Genzyme and conduct complementary preclinical research. No financial terms of the agreement were announced.
ViaCell also announced today the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 6,866,843 entitled, "Method of Transplanting in a Mammal and Treating Diabetes Mellitus by Administering a Pseudo-Islet Like Aggregate Differentiated from a Nestin- Positive Pancreatic Stem Cell". This patent, exclusively licensed from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, broadly covers methods for the treatment of type I insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and other conditions using nestin-positive islet derived progenitor cells (NIPs), which can be expanded and differentiated into pancreatic islet cells, i.e., insulin- producing beta cells. This discovery is based on the work performed by the group of Dr. Joel Habener, Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology in the Department of Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School.
"Our collaboration that we entered into with Genzyme in December 2004 and the patent issuance are two important milestones for ViaCell's pioneering program in diabetes," said Marc Beer, CEO of ViaCell. "Our approach uses adult islet stem cells derived from donor tissues. We have seen promising results to date in our research work, and Genzyme has excellent development capabilities which we believe will be helpful in achieving the proof of concept in preparation for human clinical trials."
Georges Gemayel, executive vice president at Genzyme, commented, "This agreement represents a natural evolution of our four-year relationship with ViaCell. ViaCell has an exciting platform in stem cell therapy, and we look forward to applying our expertise to the preclinical development of this program."