RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., Oct. 1, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cesca Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:KOOL), an autologous cell-based regenerative medicine company, today announced that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
Under the terms of the agreement, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will evaluate a prototype for a new CellWerksTM device under Cesca's "Early Technology Access Program". The new device will specifically address the need for reduced red blood cell content in stem cell preparation for patients at risk of major blood-type mismatches. Commercial launch of the new device is expected in late 2016.
Mitchel Sivilotti, Senior Vice President and Chief Biologist at Cesca Therapeutics stated, "This exciting collaboration with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, one of the world's leading pediatric treatment and research facilities focused on children's catastrophic diseases, is a strategic next-step to Cesca's recent announcements addressing life-saving areas of need in hematology/oncology. We are in a unique position to develop and commercialize rapid cell isolation technology for multiple clinical applications and view major blood-type mismatch as one of the cornerstones of our growing CellWerks portfolio. This project, in addition to recent developments in our Haplo-identical Transplant program in India, represents a robust approach to addressing this growing, high value space."
About Cesca Therapeutics Inc.
Cesca Therapeutics Inc. (www.cescatherapeutics.com) is engaged in the research, development and commercialization of autologous cell-based therapeutics for use in regenerative medicine. The Company is a leader in the development and manufacture of automated blood and bone marrow processing systems that enable the separation, processing and preservation of cell and tissue therapy products. These include:
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SurgWerks™; proprietary stem cell therapy point-of-care kits for the treatment of vascular and orthopedic indications that integrate the following indication specific elements:
- Cell harvesting
- Cell processing and selection
- Cell diagnostics
- Cell delivery
- CellWerksTM; an integrated system which includes a protocol, disposables and equipment for intra-laboratory use in treatment of oncological and hematological disorders.
- The AutoXpress® (AXP); a proprietary automated device, along with companion sterile blood processing disposables, for the harvesting of stem cells from cord blood.
- The MarrowXpress™ (MXP); a device and disposable system based on the AutoXpress platform for the isolation and concentration of stem cells from bone marrow. Self-powered and microprocessor-controlled, the MXP contains flow control and optical sensors and concentrates white blood cells from bone marrow to a user- defined volume in 40 minutes while retaining over 90% of mononuclear cells (MNCs).
- The BioArchive® System; an automated cryogenic device, used by cord blood stem cell banks in more than 30 countries, for cryopreservation and archiving of cord blood stem cell units for transplant.
Forward Looking Statement
The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements, including our ability to initiate and prosecute the pivotal CLIRST III trial, our ability to obtain efficacy consistent with prior CLI studies, continued FDA approval, Medicare reimbursement approval, timing of the Company's future submission of IDE, PMA and/or Medicare reimbursement applications, or amendments to such applications, and outcomes from such submissions. Further, clinical trial outcomes are not predictable, and results may vary from the Company's expectations, including the start of any such clinical trials, patient follow up issues, and costs associated with such trials. Further description of other risks that could cause actual events to differ from the outcomes predicted by Cesca Therapeutics' forward-looking statements is set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in Cesca Therapeutics annual report on Form 10-K and other reports it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, and you should consider each of those factors when evaluating the forward-looking statements. Contact: Cesca Therapeutics Inc. http://www.cescatherapeutics.com. Cesca may, at its discretion, choose to publish on-going interim notifications, requests for further information as received from the FDA, Medicare or equivalent foreign agencies, but as a general policy only makes announcements regarding material or significant information, such as filing of applications, approvals, initiation of studies, and conclusions.