ViaCyte Provides Update on Patent Portfolio in Stem Cell-Derived Cell Replacement Therapies for Type 1 Diabetes and Other Indications

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ViaCyte, Inc., a privately-held regenerative medicine company, today announced 165 new patents were issued in 2018.  These issued patents provide protection to the Company's core technologies in the United States, European Union, and other jurisdictions around the world and further reinforce ViaCyte's already strong intellectual property position in pluripotent cell-derived and implantable cell replacement therapies for insulin-requiring diabetes and other potential indications.  With these issued patents, ViaCyte's patent portfolio now includes over 700 issued patents worldwide, and protection in the space extends for the next two decades or more. 

"ViaCyte's intellectual property covers methods to manufacture and composition of matter for various cell types made from pluripotent stem cell sources, including embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, for cell replacement therapies," said Paul Laikind, Ph.D., President and CEO of ViaCyte.  "The newly issued patents reflect ViaCyte's exceptional work in the field and further support our leadership as we work to deliver transformative cell therapies for insulin-requiring diabetes.  These and our previously issued patents also position us to expand our programs into other important therapeutic areas at the appropriate time and make us a good strategic partner for other companies that wish to work in the cell therapy field." 

Many of the new patents are directed to compositions and methods for culturing human pluripotent stem cells and differentiating them to pancreatic progenitor and later stage cells including endocrine cells.  Other patents are directed to the Company's combination product as well as delivery device designs.  The new patents have been issued in the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, China, Australia, Russia, Poland, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. 

President and CEO Paul Laikind, Ph.D. will be discussing this and other news when he gives a company presentation at Biotech Showcase^TM on Monday, January 7 at 11:30 am in Franciscan C at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. 

About ViaCyte
ViaCyte is a privately-held regenerative medicine company developing novel cell replacement therapies as potential long-term diabetes treatments to achieve glucose control targets and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia and diabetes-related complications.  ViaCyte's product candidates are based on the derivation of pancreatic progenitor cells from stem cells, which are then implanted in durable and retrievable cell delivery devices.  Once implanted and matured, these cells are designed to secrete insulin and other pancreatic hormones in response to blood glucose levels.  ViaCyte has two product candidates in clinical-stage development.  The PEC-Directtm product candidate delivers the pancreatic progenitor cells in a non-immunoprotective device and is being developed for type 1 diabetes patients who have hypoglycemia unawareness, extreme glycemic lability, and/or recurrent severe hypoglycemic episodes.  The PEC-Encaptm (also known as VC-01) product candidate delivers the same pancreatic progenitor cells in an immunoprotective device and is being developed for all patients with diabetes, type 1 and type 2, who use insulin.  ViaCyte is also developing immune-evasive stem cell lines in collaboration with CRISPR Therapeutics, from its proprietary CyT49 cell line, which are expected to further broaden the availability of cell therapy for diabetes and other indications.  ViaCyte is headquartered in San Diego, California.  The Company is funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and JDRF.  For more information on ViaCyte, please visit www.viacyte.com and connect with ViaCyte on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE ViaCyte, Inc.