StemCells Scores New Stem Cell Patent (STEM)
StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ: STEM) has a new stem cell patent. For rats, issued in the United Kingdom. The company issued a release showing that the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office granted patent number GB2451523.
The patent has broad claims covering true rat stem cells and genetically engineered rats derived from these cells, which is expected to have significant utility to academic and pharmaceutical industry researchers by enabling them to create novel rat models for the study of human diseases.
The company noted that both mice and rats are used by scientists to model various human diseases, but also noted that rat models are more frequently used by pharmaceutical companies because the physiological characteristics of rats make them better suited for assessing drug efficacy and toxicity.
StemCells Inc. (NASDAQ: STEM) now holds an exclusive license to commercialize this technology and is globally prosecuting the patent family that claims it. The company further noted that this is the first patent granted anywhere in the world that protects the derivation and use of pluripotent rat stem cells and the creation of genetically engineered rats. It also noted that this is the missing link to create rat models for a wider range of human diseases.
The patent details composition of matter claims to pluripotent stem cells of the rat, which includes both embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells; and it also covers genetically engineered rat models derived from such cells.
Because of the stem cell news yesterday, there seems to be a higher interest than on normal stem cell patent announcements. Right before the open we have shares up almost 5% at $1.27 on 340,000 shares. Average volume is 2.1 million shares and the 52-week trading range is $1.02 to $1.94.
JON C. OGG
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