New Industry Partnership to Strengthen Regenerative Medicine Industry in Canada

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 9, 2012) - The newest player in the regenerative medicine (RM) field in Canada is taking a collaborative approach to commercializing stem cell and biomaterials products. The Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) has created an industry consortium that is working together to address real-life bottlenecks in their RM product pipelines.

CCRM's scientific leadership is recognized by the global RM community as being world-leading. According to Michael May, CEO of CCRM, partnering with industry completes the puzzle. "By working with industry, CCRM captures business expertise that informs product development and commercialization. We already had access to some of the best scientific minds in the field and now we have access to seasoned industry experts. This is key to our success and will accelerate product development."

The members of the industry consortium represent the key sectors of the RM industry: therapeutics, devices, reagents, and cells as tools. CCRM has built three core development platforms: reprogramming, cell manufacturing, and biomaterials and tissue mimetics. The intellectual property and infrastructure of CCRM's six research institution partners and support from 20 leading RM companies will enhance Canada's already strong leadership role in the RM field.

"CCRM is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of industry and academia," explains Greg Bonfiglio, Chair of CCRM's Board of Directors. "CCRM boasts scientific expertise and state-of-the-art resources in its development lab and this combination will benefit the regenerative medicine community that can capitalize on our ability to complete projects quickly and cost competitively."

The industry consortium members are as follows:

• Agilent Technologies
• ATCC
• Athersys, Inc.
• Axcelon Biopolymers Corp.
• BD
• BetaLogics, a division of Janssen Research & Development, LLC.
• Cellular Dynamics International
• GE Healthcare
• Interface Biologics, Inc.
• Lonza
• EMD Millipore
• Northern Therapeutics Inc.
• Octane Biotech Inc.
• Pall Corporation
• Pfizer
• Reveille
• STEMCELL Technologies
• Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp.
• TEVA Innovative Ventures
• VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc.

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.