MicroIslet Comments On NIH Plan To Combat Type 1 Diabetes

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 19 Oct 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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MicroIslet, Inc. (Amex: MII), a biotechnology company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of patented technologies in transplantation therapy for people with insulin-dependent diabetes, today commented on the recently announced National Institutes of Health (NIH) long-term plan to combat type 1 diabetes. The plan contains a number of objectives, one of which is developing cell replacement therapy. The NIH identified four remaining barriers to islet transplantation, all four of which "are closely aligned with MicroIslet's therapeutic strategy," according to James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of MicroIslet.

Dr. Gavin commented, "We were pleased to see the recent long-term NIH plan to combat type 1 diabetes, especially the objective to develop cell replacement therapy. We noted with interest that the four major remaining barriers to islet transplantation identified by the NIH are: 1) developing methods to produce an unlimited supply of islets, 2) improving ways to harvest islets, 3) reducing the complications of islet transplantation, and 4) testing ways to prevent recurrent autoimmunity and the immune rejection of donor islets."

Dr. Gavin commented on each of these barriers identified in the NIH plan: "On the first point, we are the only entity we are aware of that has access to a robust supply of insulin-producing islets, through an exclusive porcine islet supply agreement with the Mayo Foundation. On the second point, we continue to optimize our islet harvesting techniques. Third, our implantation procedure is minimally invasive. And on the fourth point, we believe that our recently reported six-month primate data lends support to the efficacy of our islet microencapsulation strategy as an alternative to long-term immunosuppressive drug regimens." An NIH press release outlining its long-term type 1 diabetes plan can be found online at http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/oct2006/niddk-11.htm.

Dr. Gavin concluded, "Other recent press we have seen on islet transplantation has focused on harvesting islets from cadavers and on immune-suppressing drug regimens to prevent rejection of the transplanted islets. Relying on cadaveric islets results in chronically insufficient supply to meet the growing need for better diabetes treatment. Most of the islet protection provided by our approach is through our proprietary microencapsulation techniques, minimizing the need for administration of immunosuppressant drugs, which are generally used only at the outset of treatment. We believe that encapsulating islets to prevent rejection in the longer term, as supported by our recently reported six-month primate study data, is a more sustainable approach than long-term immunosuppression."

Dr. Gavin will make a presentation on the company's therapeutic approach at Urchin Capital Partners' "Value Below the Radar 2006" institutional investor conference on Tuesday, October 24 at Le Meridien Hotel in San Francisco.

About MicroIslet

MicroIslet is a biotechnology company engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of patented technologies in the field of transplantation therapy for people with insulin-dependent diabetes. MicroIslet's patented islet transplantation technology, exclusively licensed from Duke University, includes methods for isolating, culturing, cryopreservation, and immuno-protection (microencapsulation) of islet cells. MicroIslet is working to develop and commercialize a first product, called MicroIslet-P(TM), a microencapsulated porcine islet cell suspension that will be used for transplantation in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. Additional information about MicroIslet can be found at http://www.microislet.com/.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including the implication and interpretation of preliminary data, the expectation of development of new therapeutic products and the impact of MicroIslet's products on diabetes patients, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including MicroIslet's ability to continue as a going concern, the risks and uncertainties inherent in medical treatment discovery, development and commercialization, the risks and uncertainties associated with MicroIslet's early stage xenotransplantation technologies, the risks and uncertainties of governmental approvals and regulation, dependence on the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research as a sole source supplier of animal parts for pre-clinical and clinical studies, MicroIslet's need to raise substantial additional capital to proceed through human clinical trials and bring any product to market, the risks that MicroIslet's competitors will develop or market technologies or products that are more effective or commercially attractive than MicroIslet's products, and other risks detailed from time to time in MicroIslet's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. MicroIslet disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

For more information, please visit our Web site at http://www.microislet.com/.

MicroIslet, Inc.
http://www.microislet.com/