Key Stem Cell Patent Covers Unique Method Of Isolating Adult Stem Cells

Durham, NC - Aldagen, Inc., a company focused on regenerative medicine to treat cardiovascular disease and other degenerative diseases, has been issued U.S. Patent 6,991,897 entitled "A Method of Isolating Stem Cells." The claims of this issued patent describe methods of isolating adult stems from various sources - including human bone marrow, peripheral blood and cord blood - based on the elevated expression of an intracellular enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), as a key stem cell marker. This patent complements other issued Aldagen patents with claims protecting the proprietary chemistry in Aldagen's products and kits used to detect, count, and isolate adult stem cells.

"The issuance of this patent further strengthens our intellectual property around Aldagen's unique method for isolating adult stem cells. We have already incorporated this technology into marketed products and are now testing therapeutic applications of our ALDESORT product in human clinical trials. ALDESORT is the only product that yields a mixture of highly active stem cell types from human bone marrow without altering their activities. We have begun an aggressive program of clinical studies to demonstrate the activity of these cell populations in different tissue repair indications," added Ed Field, President and CEO of Aldagen.

SOURCE: Aldagen, Inc.