Company Press Release
WORCESTER, Mass., Aug. 31, 1999 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Cell
Technology, Inc. (ACT) announced today that the United States Patent and
Trademark Office has issued a patent (No. 5,945,577) covering an
improved method of cloning non-human mammals using nuclear transfer
technology. This technique, which allows scientists at the Company to
create identical cells and animals either with or without genetic
modifications, has broad utility for numerous applications in human
therapeutics and agriculture, including generation of cloned cells for
transplantation and efficient production of biopharmaceuticals in
transgenic animals.
The proprietary process was first disclosed by the University of
Massachusetts and ACT in January 1998, when the Company announced the
birth of George and Charlie, the first cloned transgenic cows produced
from genetically altered bovine somatic (body) cells. ACT is the
exclusive licensee of the U.S. patent, which was issued to The
University of Massachusetts.
``This patent represents the broadest claims ever issued in the field of
cloning,'' said Michael D. West, Ph.D., President and CEO of Advanced
Cell Technology. ``Specifically, the patent covers clones of any
non-human mammalian species, generated from any adult or fetal somatic
cell, during any phase of the cell growth cycle except quiescence. We
look forward to commercializing this unique method through our existing
corporate partner, Genzyme Transgenics, and through licensing to
additional collaborators in many and diverse applications.''
Through its ongoing collaboration with Genzyme Transgenics (Nasdaq:
GZTC - news), ACT is applying its nuclear transfer technology to create
herds of genetically identical animals capable of producing human
pharmaceuticals in their milk. The results of the Company's first
transgenic clone studies were published in the May 22, 1998 issue of
Science. ACT is also pursuing additional applications for its
proprietary cloning method, including generation of genetically modified
animal cells and human stem cells with improved compatibility for use
in human transplant medicine. These tissues may be suitable for treating
a wide range of life-threatening disorders including heart failure,
diabetes and neurological diseases such as PARKINSON'S disease and
spinal cord injury.
Claims allowed by today's issued patent broadly cover an improved method
of nuclear transfer involving the transplantation of any somatic (body)
cell type into an oocyte, or egg cell, from which the nucleus has been
removed. Transfers are performed between same species, non-human
mammalian cell and egg donors. All cells, tissues and embryos created
through this method are covered by patent claims, and may be genetically
manipulated and multiplied subsequent to undergoing nuclear transfer.
Unlike other cloning methods, which perform nuclear transfer using donor
somatic cells in a quiescent state, ACT's proprietary method covers
transfer of somatic cells during any non- quiescent phase of the cell
cycle.
``The significance of this somatic cell technology is that it enables us
to clone an animal which expresses a trait of interest, as opposed to
using an embryonic cell which may or may not express a preferred
trait,'' commented James Robl, Ph.D., Professor of Veterinary and Animal
Science at the University of Massachusetts and Co-founder of ACT. ``This
patent recognizes the fundamental distinction between these two
approaches.'' In addition to Dr. Robl, inventors on the new patent are
Jose B. Cibelli, Paul J. Golueke, D. Joseph Jerry, F. Abel Ponce de Leon
and Steven L. Stice.
SOURCE: Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.-
Copyright © 1999 PRNewswire.
--
Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada
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