(KOOL) Launch of Bone Marrow Transplant Program
First Successful ABO-Incompatible Transplant Using ThermoGenesis’ Breakthrough AXP(R) Platform
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. and LOS ANGELES and NEW DELHI, India, Aug. 8, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TotipotentRX Corporation (“TotiRX”), Fortis Memorial Research Institute (“Fortis”) and ThermoGenesis Corp. (Nasdaq:KOOL) today announced the successful launch of their pediatric bone marrow transplant program at the Fortis-TotiRX Centre for Cellular Medicine in New Delhi, India. This week, the new program achieved its first 100-day survival milestone following an allogeneic bone marrow engraftment in a pediatric patient with aplastic anemia using a donor with ABO-incompatible bone marrow having a major blood group mismatch (Patient B+ve, Donor A+ve). The successful transplant was performed using the AXP® AutoXpress® Platform (“AXP”), and bone marrow software, a FDA and Drug Controller General of India (“DCGI”) approved cell processing platform from ThermoGenesis Corp.
“We are pleased to have achieved this important milestone for our allogeneic bone marrow transplant program,” said Dr. Venkatesh Ponemone, Director of Research and Clinical Affairs at TotiRX’s Centre for Cellular Medicine operating as Fortis-TotipotentRX. “The AXP Platform, combined with the bone marrow MXP® MarrowXpress® (“MXP”) protocol, was an integral part of our success with this very challenging inaugural pediatric transplant. In the past, we would have been required to use separation methodologies that reduced the donor red blood cells while unavoidably leading to a significant loss of the stem cells as well. The loss of the precious stem cells increases the risk of engraftment failure in the patient. The adoption of the AXP Platform is another step to improving our probability of a positive clinical outcome in these difficult cases. We will continue to set the processing standard for isolating and concentrating stem cells from bone marrow aspirate and ensuring that all cells transplanted from our lab are delivered with the highest stringency on quality and potency,” he continued.
“The successful engraftment in this 10-year old patient demonstrates the quality of our bone marrow transplant program,” said Dr. Satya Prakash Yadav, Chief of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Fortis Memorial Research Institute where the transplant was completed. “Our clinical expertise, TotiRX’s clinical scientists and ThermoGenesis’ advanced technology, combined with Fortis’ best-in-class facilities make this lifesaving therapy possible. We are proud to lead a world-class team with the expertise to provide cutting edge cellular therapies to children suffering from advanced hematological diseases,” he continued.
ThermoGenesis’ advanced AXP bone marrow technology platform is optimally designed for red blood cell depletion and volume reduction having demonstrated significant recovery of blood stem cells, resulting in no adverse transfusion events and successful engraftment of the donor stem cells into the recipient patient. Most current marrow separation methods are very cumbersome and involve several steps that may result in significant loss of viable stem cells. To date, the AXP Platform has been used in more than 10,000 pediatric and adult treatments globally, and is an automated, functionally closed, sterile system that produces a stem cell concentrate in less than 20 minutes. The AXP product is approved for use by the U.S. FDA, DCGI, China’s SFDA and other international regulatory bodies and carries a CE Certification.
“TotiRX is building a bridge from the cellular therapy bench to the patient’s bedside. Our goal is to continue to provide cutting-edge clinical support services specifically catering to biological and cellular therapies in India,” said Kenneth L. Harris, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TotiRX. “Our one-of-a-kind, in-hospital clinical research and cell production facility inside Fortis’ flagship research hospital can produce rapid, personalized (tailored) patient treatments using this ISO, cGMP, and Federally-registered clinical facility. TotiRX, with Fortis Healthcare and ThermoGenesis, look forward to providing unmatched world-class capability and services to our clients,” he continued.
More About Aplastic Anemia and ABO-Incompatibility
Aplastic anemia is a blood disorder in which the body’s bone marrow fails to produce enough new blood cells. Bone marrow transplantation is the only effective treatment for patients with severe aplastic anemia. However, 30–40% of transplant candidates are unable to find a compatible donor. Incompatibilities between recipient and donor blood cells, known as ABO-incompatibility, carry the risk of post-transplant hemolysis (the rupturing of the red blood cell membrane resulting in the release of hemoglobin and other blood cell components into the surrounding fluid), and other possibly fatal transplant complications. Reducing the number of ABO-incompatible red blood cells in the donor marrow has been shown to greatly reduce these effects and increase the likelihood of success in ABO-incompatible bone marrow transplants.
About Fortis-TotipotentRX Centre for Cellular Medicine
The Fortis-TotipotentRX Centre for Cellular Medicine features a multi-million dollar cellular diagnostics laboratory and state-of-the-art, International Standards Organization (“ISO”) Class 7 cell therapy manufacturing suites with a significant cryopreservation infrastructure. The Centre has implemented ThermoGenesis’ advanced AXP bone marrow technology platform, along with other advanced cell-based technologies ensuring every patient receives the highest quality stem cell transplants. The facility has the capacity to perform over 1,000 bone marrow and cord blood transplants per year, a figure the companies hope to increase through expansion in Asia, Europe and North America.
About Fortis Healthcare Limited
Fortis Healthcare Limited. (NSE:FORTIS) is a leading, pan Asia-Pacific, integrated healthcare delivery provider. The company operates its healthcare delivery network in Australia, Canada, Dubai, Hong Kong, India, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Vietnam with 76 hospitals, over 12,000 beds, over 600 primary care centers, 191 day care specialty centres, over 230 diagnostic centers and a talent pool of over 23,000 people. For more information please visit www.FortisHealthcare.com.
About TotipotentRx Corporation
TotipotentRX Corporation, a U.S. based cellular therapy research and therapeutics organization offers the most advanced regenerative medicine programs in the Asian sub-continent. They began their operations in India in 2008, and since inception have continued to build world-class clinical research and GMP infrastructure with their clinical partner Fortis Healthcare. For more information please visit www.TotipotentRX.com.
About ThermoGenesis Corp.
ThermoGenesis Corp. (Nasdaq:KOOL) is a U.S. based leader in developing and manufacturing automated blood processing systems and disposable products that enable the separation, preservation and delivery of cell and tissue therapy products. For more information please visit www.thermogenesis.com.
TotiRX and ThermoGenesis recently announced their entry into a merger agreement which will operate under the name Cesca Therapeutics. The merger is subject to TotiRX and ThermoGenesis stockholder approval.
Forward Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to that TotiRX and ThermoGenesis will provide unmatched world-class capability and service to their clients and that the proposed merger will be completed. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. A more complete description of risks that could cause actual events to differ from the outcomes predicted by ThermoGenesis forward-looking statements is set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in its annual report on Form 10-K and other reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, and you should consider each of those factors when evaluating the forward-looking statements.
Non-Solicitation
This press release and the information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell, buy or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to sell, buy or exchange any securities, nor shall there be any sale, purchase or exchange of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, sale, purchase or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Additional Information
In connection with the merger, ThermoGenesis intends to file a registration statement (including a prospectus) on Form S-4 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Holders of TotipotentRx Corporation Common Stock are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus and any other relevant documents when filed because they contain important information about ThermoGenesis and the merger. A proxy statement will be sent to holders of our Common Stock and a proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to holders of TotipotentRx Corporation common stock. When filed, the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents relating to the proposed merger can be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These documents can also be obtained free of charge from ThermoGenesis upon written request to ThermoGenesis Corporation, Investor Relations, 2711 Citrus Road Rancho Cordova, CA 95742.
CONTACT: Dr. Dalip Sethi Clinical Research Office TotipotentRX Corporation dalip.sethi@totipotentrx.com ThermoGenesis Corp. Investor Relations +1-916-858-5107, or ir@thermogenesis.com http://www.thermogenesis.com
TraderPower Featured Companies
Top Small Cap Market News
- $SOBR InvestorNewsBreaks – SOBR Safe Inc. (NASDAQ: SOBR) Closes on $8.2M Private Placement
- $CLNN InvestorNewsBreaks – Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN) Announces Participation at Two Upcoming Investor Conferences
- $ATBHF Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX.V: BAY) (OTCQB: ATBHF) Releases Updated Report on Storm Copper Project Drilling Program
- $LGVN InvestorNewsBreaks – Longeveron Inc. (NASDAQ: LGVN) to Present at This Month’s Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society Annual Meeting
- $LEXX InvestorNewsBreaks – Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Begins Subject Dosing in Human Pilot Study #3 Evaluating Oral DehydraTECH-Processed Tirzepatide
- $FSTTF InvestorNewsBreaks – First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTC: FSTTF) Shares Additional Information on the PyroDelta Thermoelectric Generator, Relationship with Subsidiary
- $TMET.V Gold Stutters as Strong US Jobs Data Dampens Expectations of Large Rate Cuts
- $RFLXF JPMorgan Executive Says US Backlash Against ESG Is Exaggerated
- $SFWJ InvestorNewsBreaks – Software Effective Solutions Corp. (d/b/a MedCana) (SFWJ) Releases Report on Series of Acquisitions, Multiple Cannabis Licenses
- $EAWD IEA Hosts G20 Ministers, Influential Personalities to Discuss Clean and Affordable Energy Transition
Recent Posts
- $EAWD IEA Hosts G20 Ministers, Influential Personalities to Discuss Clean and Affordable Energy Transition
- $SFWJ InvestorNewsBreaks – Software Effective Solutions Corp. (d/b/a MedCana) (SFWJ) Releases Report on Series of Acquisitions, Multiple Cannabis Licenses
- $RFLXF JPMorgan Executive Says US Backlash Against ESG Is Exaggerated
- $TMET.V Gold Stutters as Strong US Jobs Data Dampens Expectations of Large Rate Cuts
- $FSTTF InvestorNewsBreaks – First Tellurium Corp. (CSE: FTEL) (OTC: FSTTF) Shares Additional Information on the PyroDelta Thermoelectric Generator, Relationship with Subsidiary
- $LEXX InvestorNewsBreaks – Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Begins Subject Dosing in Human Pilot Study #3 Evaluating Oral DehydraTECH-Processed Tirzepatide
- $LGVN InvestorNewsBreaks – Longeveron Inc. (NASDAQ: LGVN) to Present at This Month’s Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society Annual Meeting
- $ATBHF Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX.V: BAY) (OTCQB: ATBHF) Releases Updated Report on Storm Copper Project Drilling Program
Recent Comments
Archives
- October 2024
- January 2023
- June 2022
- December 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009