Medgenics, Inc. (NYSE Amex: MDGN and AIM: MEDU, MEDG) the (“Company”), the developer of a novel technology for the sustained production and delivery of therapeutic proteins in patients using their own tissue, today reported that the Company was awarded a government grant amounting to a total net amount of up to NIS 3.0 million ($0.9 million USD), from the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor of Israel for the six month period through August 2011.

The OCS awards grant in Israel to various industries in order to foster technological innovations. Recipients are selected based on various criteria including, the uniqueness of a company's innovative technology, potential market forecasts and capabilities of the company in areas including financial strength, R&D compatibilities, and management experience. In the event that the Company commercializes products from the funded research and development, the Company will then be required to pay royalties to the OCS to repay the grant, plus interest. The obligation to pay these royalties is contingent on actual income and in the absence of such income, no repayment to the OCS is required.

The funds will be designated and used by Medgenics to support further research and clinical development of the Company’s proprietary tissue-based Biopump platform technology for the sustained production and delivery of therapeutic proteins using the patient’s own dermal tissue.

Andrew L. Pearlman, Ph.D., CEO of Medgenics, Inc., commented, "We are pleased to have been selected to receive this non-dilutive funding and support from the Office of the Chief Scientist for the fifth year in a row. This grant will allow for further development of our product pipeline of Biopumps and underscores the OCS’ belief in the potential of our innovative Biopump platform technology to significantly improve upon current methods for certain protein production and delivery."

About Medgenics

Medgenics is developing and commercializing Biopump, a proprietary tissue-based platform technology for the sustained production and delivery of therapeutic proteins using the patient’s own skin biopsy for the treatment of a range of chronic diseases including anemia, hepatitis C and hemophilia. Medgenics believes this approach has multiple benefits compared with current treatments, which include regular and costly injections of therapeutic proteins.

Medgenics has three long-acting protein therapy products in development based on this technology:

  • EPODURE (now completing a Phase I/II dose-ranging trial) to produce and deliver erythropoietin for many months from a single administration, has demonstrated elevation and stabilization of hemoglobin levels in anemic patients for 6 to more than 24 months;
  • INFRADURE (to commence a Phase I/II trial in Israel in 2012) to produce a sustained therapeutic dose of interferon-alpha for use in the treatment of hepatitis C;
  • HEMODURE is a sustained Factor VIII therapy for the prophylactic treatment of hemophilia, now in development.

Medgenics intends to develop its innovative products and bring them to market via strategic partnerships with major pharmaceutical and/or medical device companies. Since October 2009, HEMODURE has been the focus of cooperation between Medgenics and a major healthcare company, a market leader in hemophilia.

In addition to treatments for anemia, hepatitis C and hemophilia, Medgenics plans to develop and/or out-license a pipeline of future Biopump products targeting the large and rapidly growing global protein therapy market, which is forecast to reach $132 billion in 2013. Other potential applications for Biopumps include multiple sclerosis, arthritis, pediatric growth hormone deficiency, obesity and diabetes.

Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which include all statements other than statements of historical fact, including (without limitation) those regarding the Company's financial position, its development and business strategy, its product candidates and the plans and objectives of management for future operations. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created by such laws. Forward-looking statements are sometimes identified by their use of the terms and phrases such as "estimate," "project," "intend," "forecast," "anticipate," "plan," "planning, "expect," "believe," "will," "will likely," "should," "could," "would," "may" or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. All such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Should any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those included within these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no undue reliance should be placed on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. As a result of these factors, the events described in the forward-looking statements contained in this release may not occur.

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