Contact Information: For further information: Dr. Paul Tan CEO P: +64 9 270 7941 M : 0402 716 984 (Aust) M : 021 608 784 (NZ) ptan@lctglobal.com Dr Bob Elliot Medical Director Living Cell Technologies Mob:+64 27 292 4177 Tel:+64 9 276 2690 relliott@lctglobal.com Rebecca Wilson Leonie Beach Investor & Media Relations Buchan Consulting P: +61 2 9237 2800 M: +61 417 382 391 rwilson@bcg.com.au Leslie Wolf Creutzfeldt Investor & Media Relations (U.S.) Grayling Global P: +1 646 284 9472 M: +1 917 854 4726 lwolf-creutzfeldt@hfgcg.com
LCT Expands Diabetes Clinical Trial
| Source: Living Cell Technologies
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA and AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND--(Marketwire - June 5, 2008) - Living Cell
Technologies Limited (ASX : LCT ) (PINKSHEETS : LVCLY ) today announced that the
positive preliminary data from its first clinical trial of Diabecell® for
insulin dependent type 1 diabetes has encouraged the Company to expand the
trial and proceed with testing higher doses.
In LCT's first Phase I/IIa trial of DiabeCell®, its lead product of
encapsulated porcine insulin producing cells, 5 patients have been
implanted with the lowest dose. As reported in the Company's clinical
update on 31 March 2008, there have been no significant adverse effects and
a clinical effect was demonstrated with reduction in daily insulin
requirement for up to six months follow up with satisfactory control of
blood glucose.
Professor Bob Elliott, LCT Medical Director said, "The clinical effects
observed with the lowest dose and the uncomplicated safety profile to date
have encouraged our clinical experts in Moscow to implant higher doses with
the expectation of greater clinical benefit."
LCT's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paul Tan said, "The scientific and ethics
approvals allowed the trial protocol to be revised and continued with the
total number of patients increased from 6 to 10 at this stage. In
subsequent implants, the dose of DiabeCell® will move up from 5,000 islet
equivalents per kilogram body weight (IEQ/kg) to 10,000 IEQ/kg."
"This revision of the clinical protocol in Moscow in effect expedites our
clinical program for DiabeCell®," said Dr Paul Tan.
About Living Cell Technologies Ltd
Living Cell Technologies is developing cell-based products to treat life
threatening human diseases. The company owns a bio-certified pig herd that
it uses as a source of cells for treating diabetes and potentially for
treatment of neurological disorders. For patients having type 1 diabetes,
the company implants microencapsulated islet cells so that near-normal
blood glucose levels might be achieved without the need for administration
of insulin or at significantly reduced insulin levels. The company entered
clinical trials for its diabetes product in 2007. LCT also is developing
treatments for Huntington's disease and other neurological disorders that
will involve implantation of micro-encapsulated choroids plexus cells to
deliver beneficial proteins and neurotrophic factors to the brain. The
company's technology has the potential for allowing healthy living cells to
be injected into patients to replace or repair damaged tissue without
requiring the use of immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection. For
further information please visit www.lctglobal.com.
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candidates nor can there be any assurance that such product candidates will
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will reach any particular level of sales. In particular, management's
expectations regarding the approval and commercialization of the product
candidates could be affected by, among other things, unexpected clinical
trial results, including additional analysis of existing clinical data, and
new clinical data; unexpected regulatory actions or delays, or government
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Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially
from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or
expected. LCT is providing this information as of June 5 , 2008, and does
not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements
contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or
developments or otherwise.