Animal Cloning Technology for Xenotransplantation

(ACT, Worcester, MA, USA) to Immerge BioTherapeutics, Inc. (Charlestown, MA, USA).

The license will cover work Immerge's development of genetically modified pigs for use in xenotransplantation. To date, Immerge has developed inbred miniature swine incapable of transmitting porcine retrovirus that can infect human cells and has developed the first knock-out cloned miniature swine. Both may move xenotransplantation closer to reality.

"Cloning plays an important role in the further development of xenotransplantation and in the Immerge program,” said Julia Greenstein, Ph.D., president and CEO of Immerge. "ACT's technology will be an important enhancement to the intellectual property supporting our work.” Immerge was formed as a joint venture between Novartis Pharma AG and BioTransplant, Inc. in 2000.

The need to find new sources for donor organs is critical, as demand continues to grow. Currently, more than 79,000 people in the United States alone are on the transplant waiting list. An equal number of prospective transplant patients never make the list because of the strict criteria needed to ensure that organs are going to those candidates most likely to be successful recipients. Immerge and ACT believe that xenotransplantation will help to meet this increasing need for donors.




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