WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MultiCell
Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: MCET) announced today that
it has been granted a European patent (EP 1539819B1) covering
certain of its therapeutic candidates for the treatment of cancer.
Increasing evidence suggests that the immune system regulates
the development of cancer by several mechanisms. This
regulation can be either beneficial through immunosurveillance and
the destruction of cancer cells, or detrimental by facilitating
tumor growth by shaping the immunophenotype of tumors, creating an
immunosuppressive environment, or inducing regulatory T-cells.
MultiCell has created a new class of recombinant antibody
therapeutics which redirect the immune response to specific cancer
targets corresponding to the peptides engrafted onto the
recombinant antibody. Such compositions are able to transform
seemingly ineffective peptides into potent antibody therapeutics
with a different mechanism of action compared to that of
conventional antibody therapeutics currently in clinical use.
These recombinant antibody therapeutics not only produce a
potent immune response, but also stimulate the generation of
cytolytic cells, and Interferon-gamma and Interleukin-2 producing
T-cells. When coupled with MultiCell's dsRNA therapeutics,
this new class of recombinant antibody therapeutics has been shown
in animal models to eradicate cancer and generate immune protection
against the reoccurrence of malignant tumors.
"We are very pleased that the European Patent Office has decided
to grant us a patent covering our novel compositions and method for
the treatment of cancer as well as for the treatment of infectious
disease," stated Jerry Newmin,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MultiCell Technologies.
"Our technology uses the antibody molecule as a platform to
better present a peptide to immune cells thereby increasing the
overall immune response to the peptide," Mr. Newmin added.
MultiCell also owns exclusive rights to two issued U.S. patents
(6,872,389 and 6,129,911), one U.S. patent application (U.S.
2006/0019387A1), and several corresponding issued and pending
foreign patents and patent applications related to the isolation
and differentiation of liver stem cells. The role of liver
stem cells in the carcinogenic process has recently led to a new
hypothesis that hepatocellular carcinoma arises by maturation
arrest of liver stem cells. In addition, liver cancer and
cancerous stem cells specifically, are amenable to targeted
therapeutic approaches including peptide-directed
immunotherapy.
Primary liver cancer begins in the cells of the liver itself.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), in 2008
there were approximately 21,400 new cases of primary liver cancer
and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in the
United States, and approximately 18,400 of those cases
resulted in death. Hepatocellular carcinoma, resulting from
Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infection, is the most common cancer in
some parts of the world, with more than 1 million new cases
diagnosed each year. The NCI also reports that hepatocellular
carcinoma is associated with cirrhosis of the liver in 50% to 80%
of patients.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about MultiCell's
expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future
events or performance are not historical facts and are
forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). These statements
are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases
such as "believe", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate",
"intend", "plan", "forecast", "could", and "would". Examples of
such forward looking statements include statements regarding the
timing, design, scope, and anticipated results of our clinical
development programs. MultiCell bases these forward- looking
statements on current expectations about future events. They
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that
may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or
achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied
by any forward-looking statement. Some of the risks,
uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to
differ materially from estimates or projections in the
forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to, the risk
that we might not achieve our anticipated clinical development
milestones, receive regulatory approval, or successfully
commercialize our products as expected, the market for our products
will not grow as expected, and the risk that our products will not
achieve expectations. For additional information about risks
and uncertainties MultiCell faces, see documents MultiCell files
with the SEC, including MultiCell's report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended November 30, 2009,
and all our quarterly and other periodic SEC filings.
MultiCell claims the protection of the safe harbor for
forward-looking statements under the Act and each assume no
obligation and expressly disclaim any duty to update any
forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after
the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of
subsequent events
SOURCE MultiCell Technologies, Inc.