The patent approval in the US strengthens the company’s global leadership position in the diabetes field
Ness Ziona, Israel, June 20th, 2023 --- Kadimastem Ltd. (TASE: KDST), a clinical stage cell therapy company, developing and manufacturing "off-the-shelf" allogeneic cell products using its platform technology to develop treatments for different neurodegenerative diseases and a potential cure for diabetes, has been granted a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its cell therapy technology. The cell sorting patent will be protected until July 2038 for the company's innovative cell selection and enrichment technology. This patent covers the production of IsletRx, the company's product for the treatment and potential cure for diabetes.
The company's technology is unique with its ability to select and enrich only the highest functioning and purest islet cells from the population of pluripotent stem cells which enables the maximum therapeutic effect.
The approval of this patent in the USA is particularly important, especially in light of our collaboration project with iTolerance, an American company in the diabetes field and the BIRD Foundation. The project will combine Kadimastem’s and iTolerance’s technologies to develop and commercialize a breakthrough regenerative technology to cure diabetes without the need for life-threatening chronic immuno-suppression. The project will receive a 3.5 million NIS (US $1Million) grant from the BIRD Foundation for this project.
In addition, the importance of unloading the social and financial burden of type 1 diabetes in the United States currently is crucial now more than ever. Approximately 1.45 million Americans are living with T1D, which accounts for about 3.75% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes[1].
According to a new study (2020) published in the peer-reviewed journal Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics (DTT), people who live with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in the United States right now, as well as those who will develop the disease over the next 10 years, will pay a collective $813 billion over their lifetimes in medical costs and in lost income and productivity costs, as compared to a similar group that does not have T1D[2]. Insulin-dependent type two diabetics which outnumber the number of T1D patients will similarly benefit from this treatment.
Asaf Shiloni, company CEO: “Kadimastem highly believes that the company’s treatment can improve the quality of lives for hundreds of thousands of those dealing with the daily struggles of insulin dependent diabetes (IDD) by presenting a potential cure for IDD with our unique patented solution with IsletRx cells.
In May 2021, the selection technology covered by this patent was described in a peer-reviewed journal article[3] in Frontiers in Endocrinology.
Kadimastem is a clinical stage cell therapy company, developing and manufacturing "off-the-shelf", allogeneic, proprietary cell products based on its technology platform for the expansion and differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs) into functional cells. AstroRx®, the company's lead product, is an astrocyte cell therapy in clinical development for the treatment for ALS and in pre-clinical studies for other neurodegenerative indications.
IsletRx is the company's treatment for diabetes. IsletRx is comprised of functional, insulin and glucagon producing and releasing pancreatic islet cells, intended to treat and potentially cure patients with insulin-dependent diabetes.
Kadimastem was founded by Professor Michel Revel, CSO of the company and Professor Emeritus of Molecular Genetics at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Professor Revel received the Israel Prize for the invention and development of Rebif®, a multiple sclerosis blockbuster drug sold worldwide. Kadimastem is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: KDST).
[3] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.635405/full
About IsletRx
The IsletRx product is a clinical-grade collection of pancreatic islet cells. Preclinical studies have shown that the cells are able to detect the sugar levels in the body and to produce, and secrete, on demand, the required amounts of insulin and glucagon, just like a healthy pancreas and enables the insulin dependent patient to avoid an abnormal drop in sugar level (hypoglycemia). In addition, the method of production and selection of the cells enables their implantation in various types of smaller size devices, suitable for maximum comfort for people living with diabetes.
Forward Looking Statement
This document may include forward-looking information as defined in the Securities Law, 5728 – 1968. Forward-looking information is uncertain and mostly is not under the Company's control and the realization or non-realization of forward-looking information will be affected, among other things, by the risk factors characterizing the Company's activity, as well as developments in the general environment and external factors affecting the Company's activity. The Company's results and achievements in the future may differ materially from any presented herein and the Company makes no undertaking to update or revise such projection or estimate and does not undertake to update this document. This document does not constitute a proposal to purchase the Company's securities or an invitation to receive such offers. Investment in securities in general and in the Company in particular bears risks. One should consider that past performance does not necessarily indicate performance in the future.
Company Contacts:
Asaf Shiloni
CEO
[1] https://diabetesresearch.org/diabetes-statistics/#:~:text=37.3%20million%20people%2C%20or%2011.3,%2C%20economic%2C%20and%20ethnic%20backgrounds. [2] https://www.jdrf.org/blog/2020/02/24/new-jdrf-funded-study-finds-lifetime-t1d-management-costs-a-collective-813-billion/ [3] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2021.635405/full