The patents cover the 3D culturing method Pluistem uses to create cell therapies from placental or fat cells and use of those therapies to treat hematopoietic diseases caused by radiation poisoning, chemotherapy or failed transplants.
The culturing process uses a proprietary bioreactor in which cells grow in three dimensions on a scaffold. The approach is more efficient than standard 2D culturing according to Pluristem investor relations director Karine Kleinhaus,
Kleinhaus told BioPharma-Reporter.com last year that “Our production method is proprietary and completely different from the current standard for expanding and modifying mesenchymal-like adherent stromal cells.
“We are approximately 70 times more efficient than the current industry standard for producing these types of cells and our costs are approximately 5% of the cost of the industry standard.”
Haifa, Israel-based Pluristem has gained patents for the technology in a number of markets over the past few years.
CEO Zami Aberman said: “These latest patent grants in Japan fortify our intellectual property position globally, and specifically in the Japanese market, where we are in active negotiations with potential pharmaceutical partners.”
“Our proprietary process and technology for growing placenta-derived cells within a 3D microenvironment make large scale, cost effective cell therapy production a reality, and IP protection of these methods in Japan is a key asset.”
Japan
Cell-based regenerative medicine is a big focus for the Japanese Government.
Laws introduced in November – the revised pharmaceutical affairs law and new regenerative medicines legislation – mean such products could be reviewed and approved in just two years, if deemed to be effective.
Japan’s Government further underlined its commitment to regenerative medicine in its budget in January, allocating Y2.5bn ($20.8bn) to “the industrialisation of regenerative medicine evaluation fundamental technology development business.”