Islet Sciences Announces Cell Transplant Journal’s Release on Novel Methods of Isolating Piglet Islets

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Islet Sciences, Inc., (ISLT) a clinical stage company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of therapeutics in the field of diabetes, announced today that Cell Transplant Journal released on novel methods of isolating piglet islets, a technology owned by Islet Sciences.

“This release is another validator of our approach to tackling this worldwide disease,” stated John Steel, Islet Sciences Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to make solid important strides in executing our business strategy and this paper represents another clear milestone. Importantly, with our long term supply agreement with Spring Point Project, an FDA approved facility for porcine tissue, this novel methodology for potential production of unlimited islet cells, provides a crucial foundation for our goal to provide islet cell replacement therapy for persons with insulin dependent diabetes. Islet Sciences initial targeted group are diabetics that have had kidney transplants and may benefit from the opportunity to have islet therapy to augment outcomes.”

“This work is exciting in that we have developed a novel method of producing viable piglet islets that is reproducible and scalable in doses of islets that will be required to transplant into patients with insulin dependent diabetes,” stated Dr. Jonathan Lakey, Chief Scientific Officer and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of Islet Sciences.

Below is a link and copy of the Abstract:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23394130#

In vitro maturation of viable islets from partially digested young pig pancreas

Abstract

Isolation of islets from market size pig is costly, with considerable islet losses from fragmentation occurring during isolation and tissue culture. Fetal and neonatal pigs yield insulin unresponsive islet-like cell clusters that become glucose responsive after extended periods of time. Both issues impact clinical applicability and commercial scale-up. We have focused our efforts on a cost-effective scalable method of isolating viable insulin responsive islets. Young Yorkshire pigs (mean age 20 days, range 4-30 days) underwent rapid pancreatectomy (<5 min) and partial digestion using low dose collagenase, followed by in vitro culture at 37°C and 5% CO₂ for up to 14 days. Islet viability was assessed using FDA/PI or Newport Green and function assessed using glucose stimulated insulin release (GSIR) assay. Islet

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/12/islet-sciences-announces-cell-transplant-journals-/