sorry if this is a repeat
Friday May 31, 1:00 am Eastern TimePress Release

SOURCE: Sosei Co., Ltd.


Stem Cell Sciences Ltd and Sosei Establish Joint Venture in Stem Cell Therapy
Field - Going Global in Japan

KOBE, Japan, May 31 /CNW/ - Stem Cell Sciences Ltd (SCS) and Sosei Co Ltd
(Sosei) today jointly announced a significant initiative with the formation
of a new Japanese biotechnology company, Stem Cell Sciences KK (SCS KK). The
new company is headquartered in the recently established Kobe Frontier
Medicine Precinct."The project has progressed quickly and smoothly through
the close relationships developed between SCS, Sosei, the RIKEN Center for
Developmental Biology (RIKEN CDB) and the Kobe City Government," said
Shinichi Tamura, CEO of Sosei."We see a great future for SCS KK as a partner
for SCS in this global initiative. We intend to nurture this kind of joint
venture in Japan with Western biotech companies when we see strong synergy
between their business strategy and evolving Japanese situation, whilst
maintaining our focus on product development as Sosei's core business." he
said.Licenses granted to SCS KK by SCS are for the SCS patented stem cell
technologies relating to the growth, differentiation and purification of
embryonic stem cells. These technologies provide a range of highly purified
cell types, such as neurons and cardiac cells, for gene and drug discovery.
SCS technologies have already been licensed to world leading pharmaceutical
companies such as Aventis and Glaxo Smith Kline, as well as other
biopharmaceutical companies.SCS KK will exclusively market the discovery
platform technologies of SCS and those developed by SCS KK throughout Asia.
SCS in turn will market the combined technologies in all other territories,
and partner with SCS KK to create safe and effective stem cell-based
therapies for the global market.SCS KK will also undertake collaborative
research and development programs with world leading stem cell researchers at
the newly created RIKEN CDB. SCS KK and SCS will combine in-house
technologies with those arising from their academic research collaborations
such as ones with RIKEN CDB and the University of Edinburgh's Centre for
Genome Research (CGR), accelerating discovery and progress towards new cell
therapies.As an integral part of the SCS global alliance, SCS KK will
directly address the important regulatory, manufacturing and marketing
requirements specific to cell therapies in Japan. "While the framework is
still unfolding, we are pleased with progress and outcomes to date" said Dr
Peter Mountford, CEO of SCS. "Japan's green light for human ES cell research
is the first of many steps on the path to new human medicines"SCS KK
commercial operations will start immediately through presentation of SCS
discovery technologies to the Japanese pharmaceutical industry."I have been
enormously impressed with the foresight and commitment of the Japanese and
Kobe City governments in building this magnificent new precinct for frontier
human medicines" said Dr Mountford, "and I don't know of another project like
it anywhere in the world. It not only links outstanding basic research with
cutting edge clinical capability, but is also fostering the development and
global participation of the emerging Japanese biotechnology industry.""We're
delighted that SCS KK is the first collaborative research sponsor for the
RIKEN CDB and one of the founding biotech companies of the Kobe Frontier
Medicine Precinct. I am certain the opportunities available in Kobe will
attract many other international biotech firms to Japan," he said.SCS KK
appointed Kenzo Nakajima, Executive Vice President and COO of Sosei, as
Acting CEO. "Taking advantage of pursuing the collaborative research and
development programs with the world leading stem cell researchers in
combination with the stem cell technology platform licensed from SCS, SCS KK
will be enormously competitive in this emerging field not only in Japan but
also in the world. We, as SCS KK, envisage the initial stage of our
operations will be to generate revenues through sponsored research and/or
licensing of SCS discovery technologies to the Japanese pharmaceutical
industry, but our medium and long term focus will remain in the research and
development of cell based therapies.
        Notes to Editors        SCS KKSCS KK is headquartered in Kobe, one of
Japan's most international cities located on the Bay of Osaka. As a founder
company in the City of Kobe Medical Industry Development Project and the
first Japanese stem cell therapy company, SCS KK has been strongly encouraged
and supported by the Project team.SCS LimitedSCS is a public unlisted
Australian company undertaking ground-breaking research on stem cells for
immediate application in drug and gene discovery and longer-term applications
to regenerative medical therapies. SCS has established offices and
laboratories in Melbourne and Edinburgh, Scotland.Sosei Co., Ltd.Sosei is a
leading private Japanese biopharmaceutical company focused on drug
development. It enriches the core product pipeline via in-licensing compounds
at late-stages of development from Western and Japanese companies, by its
distinctive drug re-profiling platform (DRP) and through its internal R&D,
capitalising on its extensive global network established over the past 10
years. (www.sosei.com)The Centre for Genome Research (CGR)CGR at the
University of Edinburgh is a multidisciplinary research institute focused on
the molecular, cellular and developmental biology of stem cells. The
institution's mission is to acquire a mechanistic understanding of stem cell
self-renewal and differentiation processes and ultimately to provide
scientific foundations for implementation of regenerative medicines to treat
human disease and injury. The CGR is internationally recognised as a centre
of excellence in stem cell research and technology.RIKEN Center for
Developmental Biology (RIKEN CDB)RIKEN, the largest publicly funded research
institute in Japan,established the RIKEN CDB as a unique centre of research
excellence indevelopmental biology. It was officially opened in April 2002 at
its newbuildings at the Kobe Frontier Medicine Precinct. RIKEN CDB has been
designedas an international institute funded by the Japanese government, and
is partof the Kobe Medical Industry Development Project. This visionary
projectincludes the Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation as well
as KobeCity General Hospital, plus associated infrastructure to allow the
developmentof entrepreneurial biomedical companies for both research
andcommercialisation.For further information

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