Life Technologies To Develop Human Stem Cell Models Of Neurodegenerative Diseases To Advance Drug Development

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 23 Dec 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE), a provider of innovative life science solutions, announced it will use human embryonic stem cells to develop new models of Lou Gehrig's Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases with a grant it received this week from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), a state agency tasked with providing funding for stem cell research at California universities, private companies and research institutions.

"We are honored to have been chosen as a recipient of this grant. Selection by this esteemed committee illustrates the caliber of our research and development capabilities," said Joydeep Goswami, Vice President, Primary and Stem Cell Systems at Life Technologies. "This will increase Life Technologies' ability to provide our customers with better models for studying neurodegenerative diseases, which should eventually enable advances toward the development of improved treatment options."

According to the ALS Association, nearly 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and the spinal cord, which control muscles throughout the body. Proper muscle function is lost when these nerves die, leading to paralysis in later stages of the disease.

Life Technologies (formerly Invitrogen) was awarded a two-year grant of nearly $870,000. The company will focus on human embryonic stem cells to create the disease models and will develop accompanying protocols and reagents used for genetically engineering stem cells. The mutations and causes of ALS are understood with validated animal models used for research. However they cannot always accurately target the mutated gene to be interrogated and human diseases frequently cannot be fully replicated in animal models. These human models of disease could also be used to screen drug compounds and allow for a more relevant drug analysis.

"We have developed a high level of expertise and innovation in creating new tools to engineer human stem cells more efficiently," said Ying Liu, M.D., Ph.D., Research Scientist, the principal investigator leading this project at Life Technologies. "Our team has developed the core competencies to perform this type of genetic engineering on human embryonic stem cells. The planned research is synergistic with the group's ongoing projects and provides added momentum to the research Life Technologies is advancing in the stem cell space."

According to CIRM, the Tools and Technologies Awards support work that either creates new reagents and methods for stem cell research, or that scales up existing technologies. The grants are designed to accelerate the development of critical therapies for patients with chronic disease or injury.

About Life Technologies

Life Technologies (NASDAQ:LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. The company has historical sales of approximately $3.5 billion, employs 9,500 people, has a presence in more than 100 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of over 3,600 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc. For more information on how we are making a difference please visit our website http://www.lifetechnologies.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements contained in this press release are considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is Life Technologies' intent that such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to; 1) the CIRM grant will increase Life Technologies' ability to provide customers with better models for studying neurodegenerative diseases; 2) The company will focus on human embryonic stem cells to create the disease models; 3) the company will develop accompanying protocols and reagents used for genetically engineering stem cells. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to; a) the grant may or may not enable advances toward the development of improved treatment options; and the risks that the market will not accept the companies' products and services, or that the companies will be unsuccessful in their efforts to develop new products and services, as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Life Technologies' Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Copyright 2008. Life Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved.

Source:
Farnaz Khadem
Life Technologies Corporation

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