Worcester, MA, – Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT) today announced that it has successfully developed a method for producing primitive human embryonic stem cells through nuclear transfer techniques (cloning). This advance, based on fusing a human somatic cell with a bovine egg cell from which the nucleus has been removed, may enable the production of an unlimited supply of such stem cells for transplant medicine. Researchers are hopeful that the technique may remove two barriers in current transplantation therapies. First, ACT’s approach may overcome the problem of tissue rejection because cells generated by nuclear transfer are genetically identical to the patient, and second, the technique may provide an accessible source of cells to help meet the current demand for large quantities of transplantable tissues.
The ACT announcement is the second advance in nuclear transfer technology reported by Company scientists this year. In January, ACT researchers announced the birth of the first cloned transgenic cows, George and Charlie. The calves were notable because they led the way to the production of similar animals that produce large quantities of therapeutic human proteins – essentially, pharmaceuticals for people – in their milk.
“Embryonic stem cells hold the promise of providing an unlimited supply of cells that may be grown in the laboratory into virtually any type of tissue for transplant use,” said James Robl, Ph.D., Professor of Veterinary and Animal Science at the University of Massachusetts and Co-founder of ACT. “The potential clinical applications range from heart failure to organ transplantation to Parkinson’s Disease and diabetes, among many others. Moreover, the technique reported today may allow human embryonic stem cells to be generated from a differentiated body (somatic) cell of a patient, thereby solving the age-old problem of transplant rejection.” Dr. Robl noted that annually, thousands of patients die awaiting heart, liver, kidney and bone marrow transplants that are close enough to their own tissue that they will not be rejected by their immune systems as foreign.
“The human embryonic stem cell production method and cloned transgenic animal technologies are part of ACT’s broad research effort to develop important new therapies through nuclear transfer technology,” said Michael D. West, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Cell Technology. “We will not use this technology to clone human beings. We also recognize that while we have made an important step in embryonic stem cell research, substantial additional work is needed before these cells can be available for human therapeutic use.” Dr. West recently joined ACT from his previous position as Founder and Chairman of Origen Therapeutics, Inc. Dr. West is also a Founder of Geron Corporation, where he most recently served as Vice President of New Technologies.
“Progress in transforming embryonic stem cells into new transplant therapies depends on a widely available source of egg cells,” said Jose Cibelli, Ph.D., a Research Scientist at ACT. “Cows or other animals can provide an abundant source of eggs for nuclear transfer and serve as an important alternative to the use of human eggs.”
Researchers at ACT created the primitive human embryonic stem cells by taking an aged and differentiated cell from the human body that has committed to becoming a particular cell type, such as skin, and transferring it into a cow egg from which all genetic information has been removed. As a result, the human body cell is rejuvenated and returned to a primitive state. The primitive cells can be cultured in sheets in the laboratory and potentially be differentiated into specific types of cells and tissues. This ACT method for generation of primitive stem cells has been disclosed in a published European patent application. The Company has obtained an exclusive license for the technology from the University of Massachusetts.
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. is leading the research and development of technologies enabling the genetic manipulation of cells to produce cloned transgenic animals for applications in pharmaceutical protein production and cell and organ transplant therapy. Formed in 1994, the Company’s focus is on the development of cloned transgenic cows to produce human pharmaceuticals in milk. The Company is also leading in the development of cloned transgenic swine for applications in organ transplantation and cloned human embryonic stem cells for applications in human medicine.
Additional background materials are available upon request by calling Feinstein Kean Partners at (617) 577-8110.
CONTACTS:
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.
Michael D. West, Ph.D. (508) 756-1212