Amarantus Bioscience Holdings Inc (AMBS)

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Amarantus Subsidiary MANF Therapeutics Receives Notice of Allowance from U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Covering MANF Treatment of Diabetes

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc. (OTCPK:AMBS), a US-based biotechnology holding company with subsidiaries developing first-in-class orphan neurologic, regenerative medicine and ophthalmic therapies, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary MANF Therapeutics, Inc. has received a notice of allowance from the US Patent & Trademark Office for a patent application covering the use of mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) as a treatment for beta cell disorders, including Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Multiple research groups have published data demonstrating the therapeutic potential of MANF in treating diabetes, including data published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Cell Reports entitled "MANF Is Indispensable for the Proliferation and Survival of Pancreatic Cells." That study demonstrated the therapeutic benefit of MANF in protecting and restoring pancreatic beta cells in vitro and in vivo in animal models of diabetes. The study's authors determined "lack of MANF in vivo in mouse leads to chronic unfolded protein response (UPR) activation in pancreatic islets. Importantly, MANF protein enhanced cell proliferation in vitro and overexpression of MANF in the pancreas of diabetic mice enhanced cell regeneration. We demonstrate that MANF specifically promotes cell proliferation and survival, thereby constituting a therapeutic candidate for cell protection and regeneration."

MANF Therapeutics is preparing to restart IND-enabling development of MANF in 2018, initially in ophthalmology. There is strong belief that MANF has significant therapeutic potential across multiple disease areas, including large indications such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/12/11/1250745/0/en/Amarantus-Subsidiary-MANF-Therapeutics-Receives-Notice-of-Allowance-from-U-S-Patent-Trademark-Office-Covering-MANF-Treatment-of-Diabetes.html