Diomics Corporation, a leader in forensic, diagnostic, and therapeutic science since 2009, and the laboratory of Dr. Jonathan Lakey, Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Research and Director of the Clinical Islet Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), today announced a Sponsored Research Agreement to ultimately improve islet transplantation for patients living with type 1 diabetes.
SAN DIEGO, CA, Jan. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Diomics Corporation, a leader in forensic, diagnostic, and therapeutic science since 2009, and the laboratory of Dr. Jonathan Lakey, Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Research and Director of the Clinical Islet Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), today announced a Sponsored Research Agreement to ultimately improve islet transplantation for patients living with type 1 diabetes.
The current method for islet transplantation requires invasive, difficult, and time consuming surgeries that create stress and risk for both the patients and the islets. To circumvent these issues, cell encapsulation has been proposed as the next treatment option. Biomaterials can protect the transplanted islets from destruction from the body. Polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer has been used in cell replacement therapy, however, the PCL polymer degrade too slowly and exhibit poor cell adhesion qualities for optimal cell replacement therapy. Diomics’ technology overcomes these issues for improved cell adhesion.
Leading the Diomics Sponsored Research Agreement research at UCI is Dr. Jonathan Lakey, a world-class subject matter expert on cell therapies including pancreatic islets and stem cells. Dr. Lakey has pioneered the development of novel methods for implantation of pancreatic islets for patients with diabetes. “I am thrilled for the opportunity to work with Diomics and examine this novel and important proprietary biomaterial,” said Dr Lakey. “I am most excited about the potential variety of applications for this novel material.”
Diomics recently filed provisional patents with claims broadly covering its proprietary polymer technology, Diomat™, for applications in cell therapy, transdermal and related drug delivery methods. The Diomics and UCI research will support the development of key data that can be leveraged in clinical trials for improved islet transplantation therapy. Improved islet transplantation can restore natural insulin production for type 1 diabetes patients.
In this sponsored research project, Diomat foams will be used to characterize the Diomics material and examine encapsulated pancreatic islets and stem cells for improved islet transplantation therapy. This data will provide the key results to proceed with clinical trials using Diomat foam-encapsulated products.
“Diomics is committed to providing innovative solutions through its materials and technologies that will lead the way to remarkable life science discoveries,” said Diomics Chairman of the Board, Kirk Avery. “We are honored to collaborate with Dr. Lakey and UCI.”
ABOUT DIOMICS CORPORATION
Diomics Corporation creates highly efficient hydrophilic materials, based on patented Diomat™ technology, that improve the speed, sensitivity, and accuracy in the capture and detection of nucleic acids, proteins, and similar compounds. Our technology has broad applicability in a multitude of nanoscale settings in biomedical engineering, genomics, proteomics, and stem cell research. Diomics has filed a total of 20 patents and has 12 issued patents. For more information, visit: www.Diomics.com
ABOUT DR. LAKEY AT UCI
Dr. Jonathan Lakey is Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, and a world-class subject matter expert on cell therapies including pancreatic islets and stem cells. Dr. Lakey has over 395 publications and authored 45 book chapters and has pioneered the development of novel methods for implantation of pancreatic islets for patients with diabetes.
Diomics Contact:
Eric J. Mathur, CEO
Diomics Corporation
cell: 760.889.8929
emathur@Diomics.com
Investor Relations Contact:
Jeff Ramson, Founder & CEO
PCG Advisory, Inc.
phone: 646-863-6893
jramson@pcgadvisory.com
