RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., May 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ThermoGenesis Corp. announced today that the Japanese Patent Office has granted allowance of 16 new patent claims for the Company’s BioArchive System, an automated cryogenic device used by cord blood stem cell banks to obtain precision cryogenic freezing and robotic storage and retrieval of cord blood stem cell units for transplant. GE Healthcare is the non-exclusive global distribution partner for the BioArchive System and the exclusive distribution partner for ThermoGenesis’ AXP AutoXpress(TM) System.
“ThermoGenesis continues to broaden its intellectual property (IP) portfolio, and this news establishes significant barriers to any company entering the Japanese market with a similar product,” said Philip Coelho, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ThermoGenesis Corp. “The BioArchive System has become the preferred technology of more than 70 cord blood stem cell banks in more than 25 countries, and we have built a formidable IP estate with ten issued patents.”
The BioArchive System cryopreserves, archives and retrieves samples within liquid nitrogen without exposing the samples to detrimental Transient Warming Events (TWEs), which can reduce cell viability. The BioArchive System is a computer-driven robotic system to allow users to cryopreserve and archive up to 3,623 units of blood components in -196 degrees C liquid nitrogen.
About ThermoGenesis Corp.
ThermoGenesis Corp. is a leader in developing and manufacturing automated blood processing systems and disposables that enable the manufacture, preservation and delivery of cell and tissue therapy products.
* The BioArchive(R) System, an automated cryogenic device, is used by cord blood stem cell banks in more than 25 countries for cryopreserving and archiving cord blood stem cell units for transplant. GE Healthcare is the non-exclusive global distribution partner for the BioArchive System. * The AutoXpress(TM) System, is a newly developed semi-automated device and companion sterile closed blood processing disposable, to harvest stem cells from cord blood. GE Healthcare is the exclusive global distribution partner for the AXP AutoXpress(TM) System. * The CryoSeal(R) FS System, an automated device and companion sterile blood processing disposable, is used to prepare fibrin sealants from plasma in about an hour. Enrollment in a 150-patient U.S. pivotal clinical trial has been completed and a PMA is being reviewed by the FDA. The CryoSeal FS System has received the CE-Mark. From a marketing perspective, the CE Mark is the European equivalent to an FDA approval, in that it allows sales of the product throughout the European community. * The Thrombin Processing Device(TM) (TPD(TM)) is a sterile blood processing disposable that prepares activated thrombin from a small aliquot of plasma in less than 30 minutes. The CE-Marked TPD is currently being marketed in Europe by Biomet, Inc. subsidiary Biomet Biologicals, Medtronic, Inc. and independent distributors.
This press release, including statements regarding financial information for future periods, contain forward-looking statements, and such statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Several factors, including timing of FDA approvals, changes in customer forecasts, our failure to meet customers’ purchase order and quality requirements, supply shortages, production delays, changes in the markets for customers’ products, introduction timing and acceptance of our new products scheduled for fiscal year 2006, and introduction of competitive products and other factors beyond our control, could result in a materially different revenue outcome and/or in our failure to achieve the revenue levels we expect for fiscal 2006. A more complete description of these and other risks that could cause actual events to differ from the outcomes predicted by our forward looking statements is set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our 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.
For More Information, Contact: THERMOGENESIS CORP. or visit the web site at www.thermogenesis.com
ThermoGenesis Corp.
CONTACT: Fern Lazar of Lazar Partners, +1-212-867-1762, for ThermoGenesisCorp.
Web site: http://www.thermogenesis.com//
