Canadian Regenerative Medicine Community Growing Stronger

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 29, 2012) - The collaborative network created by the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) has been strengthened with the addition of Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. to its 20-member industry consortium.

"I am pleased to welcome Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. to the industry consortium," says Dr. Michael May, CEO of CCRM. "Since our Centre mobilizes business and scientific expertise to translate regenerative medicine (RM) and stem cell-based medical discoveries into commercial products and therapies, the industry consortium provides critical expertise, experience and market-pull information for the development of innovative RM technologies. We are delighted to have them on board."

CCRM is working with its industry consortium to address real-life bottlenecks in their RM and stem cell-based product pipelines. The companies in the industry consortium represent the key sectors of the industry: therapeutics, devices, reagents, and cells as tools.

"Being included in CCRM's industry consortium is a step in the repositioning of our company - an aim described in our corporate objectives - to participate along with the other 20 Canadian, American and international companies," says David Allan, Executive Chairman of Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. "The concept of CCRM as a hub for the commercialization of Canada's extraordinary commitment to stem cell research, and its provision of facilities and infrastructure, is outstanding.

"As Canada's only public company dedicated to the development of stem cell therapeutics from academic research, we hope to become one of CCRM's commercialization partners of choice for the novel work ongoing at so many of Canada's internationally recognized academic centres."

To-date, CCRM has launched its first industry project with EMD Millipore and created an innovation fund with Pfizer Canada. CCRM has built three core development platforms: reprogramming and engineering; cell manufacturing; and, biomaterials and devices to carry out projects commissioned by academia and industry. CCRM has a fully resourced, 6,000 square foot development facility where all development work takes place.

Please visit www.ccrm.ca to see a complete list of CCRM's industry consortium members.

About the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM)

CCRM, a Canadian not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada's Networks of Centres of Excellence program and six academic partners, supports the development of technologies that accelerate the commercialization of stem cell- and biomaterials-based technologies and therapies. A network of academics, industry and entrepreneurs, CCRM aims to translate scientific discoveries into marketable products for patients. CCRM launched in Toronto's Discovery District on June 14, 2011.