A Medical Device Daily

Cytori (San Diego) reported that U.S. patent 7,470,537 has been issued to the University of California (Oakland, California), which covers a population of stem cells, progenitor cells and other replicating cells, which can be obtained from human adipose tissue.

The composition-of-matter patent is licensed to Cytori through its agreement with the University of California.

The '537 patent broadens Cytori's patent portfolio for adipose-derived cell therapies and strengthens the company's ability to freely develop future generation therapeutics. The cells covered by the issued claims are believed to encompass a clinically important subpopulation of cells within adipose tissue.

The subpopulation of human cells described in the patent was defined by characterizing specific cell surface markers for cells, which posses the ability to self replicate and differentiate toward one or more lineages.

Specifically, the newly issued claims are directed to cells expressing certain combinations of STRO-1+, CD29+, CD44+, CD71+, CD49D+, CD90+, CD105+, SH3, CD45-, CD31- and low or undetectable levels of CD106. Such cell surface marker studies are a robust method of describing stem and other cells and were performed at the University of California.

The patent application containing these claims is jointly owned by the University of California and the University of Pittsburgh.

The '537 patent is distinct from the issued, allowed, and pending patents and patent applications related to Cytori's Celution System product platform, which is protected by a family of patents related to U.S. patent No. 7,390,484. The '484 patent describes the Celution System technology, which processes adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells at a patient's bedside.