20 August 2018 - - US-based biotechnology company AgeX Therapeutics, Inc., a subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (NYSE American: BTX), has acquired certain patents and patent applications from Escape Therapeutics relating primarily to the use of the HLA-G gene to suppress rejection of transplanted cells and tissues, the company said.

AgeX Therapeutics plans to utilise the technology in conjunction with its pluripotent stem cell platform for applications in regenerative medicine.

The UniverCyte technology uses the tolerogenic molecule HLA-G, modified to be stably expressed on the cell extracellular membrane, to confer low immune observability to the resulting cells.

AgeX plans to use this newly-acquired patented technology in producing genetically-modified master cell banks of pluripotent stem cells that can then be differentiated into many diverse young cell types using the company's PureStem manufacturing method.

The PureStem manufacturing process has previously been shown to be capable of generating over 200 such diverse human cell types.

Potential applications of the resulting cells may include the manufacture of a large number of off-the-shelf formulations potentially useful in repairing aged tissues in the body afflicted with chronic degenerative disease.

The use of UniverCyte technology to reduce immune observability may eliminate or reduce the need for HLA matching or autologous sourcing for cell or tissue transplants.

AgeX Therapeutics, Inc., a subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (NYSE American: BTX), is a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel therapeutics for age-related degenerative disease.

The company's mission is to apply the proprietary technology platform related to telomerase-mediated cell immortality and regenerative biology to address a broad range of diseases of aging.

The current preclinical development efforts include two cell-based therapies derived from telomerase-positive pluripotent stem cells and two product candidates derived from the company's proprietary induced Tissue Regeneration technology. 

AGEX-BAT1 and AGEX-VASC1 are cell-based approaches in the preclinical stage of development comprised of young regenerative cells modified using the company's UniverCyteTMtechnology facilitating immune tolerance, formulated in HyStem matrix, designed to correct metabolic imbalances in aging and to restore vascular support in ischemic tissues respectively. 

AGEX-iTR1547 is a drug-based formulation in preclinical development intended to restore regenerative potential in a wide array of aged tissues afflicted with degenerative disease using the company's proprietary iTR technology. 

Renelon is a first-generation iTR product designed to promote scarless tissue repair which the company plans to initially develop as a topically-administered device for commercial development through a 510(k) application.

In addition to the product candidates in early development, the company, through its LifeMap subsidiary, currently markets genomic interpretation algorithms. In addition, the company, through its ESI BIO division, markets Cytiva, comprised of PSC-derived heart muscle cells used in screening drugs for efficacy and safety.

BioTime is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on degenerative diseases. Its clinical programmes are based on two platform technologies: cell replacement and cell/drug delivery.