Embryome Sciences licenses stem cell technology from Advanced Cell Technology

The technology licensed by Embryome Sciences covers methods to produce induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that do not carry the viral vectors or added genes. Sublicensed from Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) for all human therapeutic and diagnostic applications, the patent applications relate to technology to alter the state of a cell, such as a human skin cell, by exposing the cell’s DNA to the cytoplasm of another reprogramming cell with differing properties.

In a second series of patent applications licensed nonexclusively from ACT for use in commercializing the previously mentioned patents are technologies for the use of reprogramming cells that overexpress RNAs for the genes OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, cMYC, LIN28, and other factors known to be useful in iPS technology, methods of resetting cell lifespan by extending the length of telomeres, the use of the cytoplasm of undifferentiated cells to reprogram human cells, the use of hemizygous HLA O-stem cells for blood and other cell banking, methods of screening for differentiation agents, and stem cell-derived endothelial cells modified to disrupt tumor angiogenesis.

The license package contains technology useful in producing embryonic progenitor cells without the utilization of embryonic stem cell lines. In addition, the license package also contains technology for utilizing avian cells in the production of stem cell products free of viruses and bacteria. These patent applications were licensed to Embryome Sciences exclusively for all applications other than drug testing, commercial research use, and use in the diagnosis or treatment of human diabetes, liver diseases, retinal diseases and retinal degenerative diseases, which are covered by a license from ACT to Lifeline Cell Technology.