Tengion presents Neo-Kidney Augment development program at ISCT Symposium

Tengion, Inc. (Nasdaq: TNGN) presented new research data yesterday in a podium presentation at the 2nd Annual Symposium on Stem Cell Translation of the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) in San Francisco.  The presentation highlighted new results from Tengion's Neo-Kidney Augment™ development program demonstrating success with an autologous cellular therapy approach to kidney regeneration in a rodent model of obesity, diabetes and hypertension.  

"These data demonstrate that our proprietary therapeutic approach using cells from diseased kidney tissue can provide significant improvements in several parameters of kidney function, including filtration, urine concentration, and electrolyte balance, as well as a significant reduction in blood pressure," stated Sharon Presnell, Ph.D., Vice President of Regenerative Medicine at Tengion.  "We used the established ZSF1 rodent model, which develops chronic kidney disease as a result of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension – three common co-morbid conditions often seen in patients with renal failure.  Although our studies are still active, at one year of age, the treated animals have demonstrated improved kidney function, delayed disease progression and better survival compared to the age- and disease-matched untreated control animals." 

"Following our recently published and peer-reviewed data from a nephrectomized model of renal failure, these new results in a model of natural disease progression further strengthen our confidence in this program," said Tim Bertram, D.V.M., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Science and Technology at Tengion.  "We look forward to presenting additional data from this development program in the fourth quarter of this year."  

Tengion's Neo-Kidney Augment product candidate is designed to prevent or delay the need for dialysis or kidney transplant in patients with progressive chronic kidney disease by enhancing functional kidney mass.  The Company is developing a product candidate that uses the patient's own kidney cells, procured by a routine biopsy, and is then implanted into the failing kidney, catalyzing the regeneration of functional kidney tissue. The slide set used in the ISCT presentation is available at http://www.tengion.com/news/documents.cfm .  A recently published paper showcasing additional preclinical results and entitled, "A tubular cell-enriched subpopulation of primary renal cells improves survival and augments kidney function in a rodent model of chronic kidney disease," is available online at the American Journal of Physiology Renal Physiology website -  http://ajprenal.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajprenal.00221.2010v1 - and will appear in the November 2010 print issue.