ES Cell International and ITI Life Sciences sign Licence Agreement for use of novel Stem Cell Technologies

31-Jan-2007

ES Cell International Pte Ltd (ESI) and ITI Life Sciences announced the signing of a non-exclusive Research Licence Agreement. No financial details were disclosed. The licence involves two British patents granted to ESI that cover aspects of hES cell growth and differentiation and will form an important component of the £9.5 million Stem Cell Technologies ("SCT") R&D programme recently launched by ITI Life Sciences.

Dr Eleanor Mitchell, ITI Life Sciences' acting CEO, said: "A core element of preparing ITI Life Sciences' R&D programmes is to understand the intellectual property (IP) landscape and in-license all appropriate IP likely to affect the development of innovative technologies. The ITI then aims to bundle this IP with the technology created from the programme and out-license the bundle to commercial partners for the benefit of Scotland's economy. ESI has established itself as a leading innovator in stem cell technologies, some of which will be essential to our recently launched stem cell R&D programme, and I am very pleased we have been able to secure this important licence."

The patents included in the licensing agreement include: GB 2396623, which has broad claims to a method of culturing hES cells on human feeder cells, or growth medium previously conditioned by the feeders; and GB 2399819, which covers methods of genetically modifying hES cells using a lentiviral transduction system. These technologies are very useful to any hES cell research programme, and derivation and growth of hES cells on human feeders or feeder-conditioned medium, is particularly important when clinical applications are considered.

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