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BioTime Gets Complete IP Protection for "The Matrix"
Once again, there is news from BioTime (AMEX: BTX) that is too important to ignore.
First, however, just a little background.
As you know, the last few years have seen remarkable, almost unbelievable advances in the ability create different types of stem cells. BioTime is the leader here with the ACTCellerate platform. Additionally, however, the ability to use a patient's own adult stem cells has progressed significantly.
Adult stem cells, as you know, are as old as the patient. They do nothing to reset the cellular clock of aging. They may, however, be extremely useful in various procedures to correct damage from injuries and birth defects as well as cosmetic surgeries. Adult stem cells also have the very important advantage of being outside the regulatory clutches of federal bureaucrats, though regulators would clearly like to see that situation change.
Loose stem cells are extraordinarily useful in situations in which they can self-assemble as needed. The most important of these is, as I've said repeatedly, the introduction of rejuvenated endothelial precursor cells (EPCs) into the bloodstream. Once transfused into the patients, these stem cells have the extraordinary ability to search out their ideal location and engraft with the donor patient. Over time, youthful EPCs will replace the aging cells of the cardiovascular and immune systems, extending the warranty on these critical biological systems by a hundred years or more.
Not all applications of stem cells, however, are so easily performed. If you want to repair a knee joint or a kidney, simple injections of loose cells is not the optimal therapy. In the case of orthopedic uses, such as joints and other connective tissues, the usual result is a layer of stem cells only one-cell thick. Normally we need far more than a single layer of new cells to solve medical problems such as knee, hip and shoulder joint disorders. We need relatively large and precisely shaped 3-D constructs in which stem cells can mature and become part of the patient.
Enter the Matrix
BioTime has just announced that the company has received a critical second patent covering hydrogel technology that came into the BioTime family from Glycosan BioSystems. The first, issued last spring, covered composition of matter for thiol-modified extracellular matrix components. This second award expands IP to cover modified hyaluronic acid and other critical compositions.
Together, these two patents give BioTime broad and long-lasting patent protection for a technology that allows scientists and doctors to create sculpted scaffolds or matrixes of living tissue. This matrix substance can be thought of as living cement. Injected into the body, it can be shaped precisely to fit individual patients. Setting up or polymerizing quickly, the matrix becomes permanent. It may injected with stem cells included, or they may be added later.
Other scaffold technologies already exist, but they have problems. Most are rigid and cannot be injected via syringe. They are expensive and do not adapt to the patient. Because they are not biocompatible or biodegradable, they frequently engender inflammation.
The BioTime product, called HyStem, solves these problems brilliantly. The most remarkable thing about this "living" hydrogel in that it is actually anti-inflammatory. For those who would like to see the peer-reviewed description of this remarkable trait, see here and here.
Note while reading these papers the involvement of regulatory T cells, or Treg cells. These unique lymphocytes are emerging as an overlooked, but critically important piece of our immune system.
A technology this useful and validated should, obviously, already have attracted attention. In fact, I suggest that you go to the "collaborators" page on the still-existing Glycosan website. There you can read about an array of world-class scientists and researchers who are currently working to bring HyStem therapies to clinics.
Collaborators include the Dan Gazit Lab of Hebrew University, Jerusalem, where researchers are developing skeletal therapies. Though not listed on the website, Susan Thibeault at the University of Wisconsin at Madison is using HyStem to repair vocal cords. Her website lists further information.
Also, in a 2007 article, Thibeault said that she was about three years from human clinical trials. We believe, therefore, that these trials are overdue and are coming soon.
Another important researcher is Thomas Carmichael at UCLA, who is working on stem cell therapies for stroke. I have a paper he has authored regarding successful research with HyStem. It is titled "Hydrogel Matrix to Support Stem Cell Survival After Brain Transplantation in Stroke." Unfortunately, I didn't locate the paper online, but you can read the abstract and buy the paper here.
Most surprising to me, hydrogel is showing itself a powerful tissue repair therapy even without additional stem cells. In the brain, in vocal cords and elsewhere, HyStem, apparently, allows the body to fill in areas of damaged tissue with endogenous stem cells.
This alone could make the technology a blockbuster. Combined with other stem cells of various origins, including iPS cells, this is a truly transformational technology.
We should not be surprised to find this unexpected technology, technically a medical device, in Dr. West's quiver. He is, after all, the father of regenerative medicine. No one has a better overview of this revolutionary field.
It did surprise me, however, to find regenerative therapies so near to market. I've been thinking of BioTime very much as a long-term buy and hold. It is that, but the ability of the company to get this technology quickly approved in the EU, where device approval is far less bureaucratic than it is in America, makes ownership of BioTime even more imperative
out of GTXI with a 8% loss
out of NVAX with 2.5% gain.....wanted to invest elsewhere
out of ecty with 10% gainer...still holding nvax and gtxi
ecty on the move again
I have no worries, it was a bad day in the markets and you got to expect some profit taking along the way.
back in at .98 on the Friday dip....glta
NVAX...anyone still holding...I am in at 2.00 and thinking about taking a .03 cent loss and getting out here at 1.97....any compelling reasons to hang in from anyone
nice
looking good Billy Ray!
they have a great pipeline of potential vaccines as you posted overnight with some life changing applications....
gtxi hod 4.85
yes...lots of insider buying at .59
will get to it
when Patrick Cox does a write up on this to his subscribers it should get a big jump also
once thru .77 clear sailing to 1.09....
yes awesome news. my .598s are looking sweet....I need them to help my 1.04s...
got completely filled at end of day on ECTY at 2.68.....
only got a partial fill on ECTY this AM at 2.68....I am also in NVAX, and GTXI.....
nice day today....
sure would like to see a $2.01 bid on NVAX
i added on the open this morning....I thought initially when I got in just over $1.00 I had a bargain....lots of my bios been hurt over the last month....
really went boom.....wow
yep...nice to see... I had a limit order sitting at was the 200 DMA a while back at 4.35 and I got filled....I like the company
yep watching it closely....I took my sell limit order off which was at the 50 DMA watching to see if it will hold above 50 DMA and maybe I can sell at resistance up around 5....
i think omer is in that same category....
yep she is doing well....
entered nvax at 2.00
will be traveling but quick update...out of VVTV at 7.20 for 9%+ gainer, out of NSPH at 2.64 (last Friday) for 9%+ gainer
still holding OMER, SWS, RAM
anyone still holdign nsph?
in sws, vvtv...not filled yet on swsh...still holding omer, ram and nsph
i waiting to see if it holds the 4.50 bottom
did you sell your OMER?
out at 4.75 on my BLT....it was tasty...still holding omer and nsph and unfortunately RAM...trying to exit it at 200 DMA to lesses the loss
nice call on ulbi...by the time I logged in i had missed the intital run and did not chase....still expecting big things from BONE
I am much happier with my BONEr than with my RAMmed.
Still in rame and bone
Got filled yesterday on long standing limit order...
I added some .023s myself....could be an easy triple