ACT seeks European MHRA clearance to initiate hESC derived RPE cell Phase 1/2 study in SMD

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. ("ACT"; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that it has filed a clinical trial application (CTA) with the European Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) seeking clearance to initiate its Phase 1/2 clinical trial using retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to treat patients with Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy (SMD).  

"With this filing, our initiatives in Europe are really starting to gain momentum," said Gary Rabin, interim chairman and CEO of ACT.  "Through data from this proposed trial, and the two trials we are preparing to commence in the United States, we are eagerly anticipating beginning to assess the capabilities of our RPE cells to repair and regenerate the retina.  As in the US, we also intend to file in Europe for clinical trials involving Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Dry AMD) and other degenerative diseases of the retina, concurrently targeting the two largest pharmaceutical markets in the world."

The proposed clinical trial will be a prospective, open-label study that is designed to determine the safety and tolerability of the RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation to patients with advanced SMD, similar to the FDA-cleared U.S. trial which is set to commence in the first half of this year.  During the CTA review process, which requires a minimum of 60 days, the reviewers decide if an applicant is permitted to proceed with its proposed clinical trial.  Additional information may be requested from the applicant, which could extend the review period.

"We are very excited about this European filing, because our preclinical data from various animal models with hESC-derived RPE cells have been tremendously encouraging," said Robert Lanza, M.D., chief scientific officer at ACT.  "In rats we have seen 100 percent improvement in visual performance over untreated animals without any adverse effects.  Near-normal function was also achieved in a mouse model of Stargardt's disease."

In 2010, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Orphan Drug designation for ACT's RPE cells for treating SMD, and earlier this year the company received a positive opinion from the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) towards designation of this product as an orphan medicinal product for the treatment of Stargardt's disease.  ACT anticipates adoption of the EMA's recommendation by the European Commission in coming weeks.