Vitrolife receives research grant from VINNOVA for development of the clinical stem-cell media of tomorrow

Vitrolife receives research grant from VINNOVA for development of the clinical
stem-cell media of tomorrow 

VINNOVA announced in a press release yesterday that they are going to provide
support of SEK 3.6 million for Vitrolife's research project for optimized
culture media to enable the clinical use of stem cells. “It is very pleasing
news and will enable more intensive work in an area that we very much believe in
for the future”, says Magnus Nilsson, Vitrolife's CEO. 

Stem-cell research addresses the core problems within the treatment of highly
widespread diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases and
diabetes. Today's methods rely on animal substances to support the growth,
differentiation and genetic stability of stem cells. However, these limit the
possibilities of using stem cells within clinical therapy, as the animal
derivatives increase the risk of immunological reactions in transplantations.
New research results within stem-cell therapy open up possibilities of more
modern, more efficient and completely new methods of treatment. 

“For many years we have successfully developed clinical media for assisted
fertilization and our knowledge of cells' different needs and of how to optimize
culture conditions means that we can see possibilities of more rapid development
and reaching the market with a medium for the cultivation of stem cells intended
for clinical cell therapy,” says Dr Christer Silversand, the responsible
scientific officer within Vitrolife's research organization. “The collaboration
with Cellartis and Sahlgrenska Hospital gives us valuable clinical and basic
scientific expertise in the area.”

Gothenburg
November 18, 2009

Magnus Nilsson
CEO



Queries should be addressed to: 
Magnus Nilsson, CEO, phone +46 31 721 80 61.
Eva Nilsagård, CFO, phone +46 31 721 80 13.

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Vitrolife is a global biotechnology/medical device Group that works with
developing, manufacturing and selling advanced products and systems for the
preparation, cultivation and storage of human cells, tissue and organs. The
company has business activities within three product areas: Fertility,
Transplantation and Stem Cell Cultivation. 
     The Fertility product area works with nutrient solutions (media),
cryopreservation products and advanced consumable instruments such as needles
and pipettes, for the treatment of human infertility. The Transplantation
product area works with solutions and systems to evaluate and maintain organs
outside the body order to select usable organs and keeping them in optimal
condition while waiting for transplantation. The Stem Cell Cultivation product
area works with media and instruments to enable the use and handling of stem
cells for therapeutic purposes. 
     Vitrolife today has approximately 150 employees and the company's products
are sold in more than 80 markets. The company is headquartered in Gothenburg,
Sweden, and there are subsidiaries in USA, Australia, France, Italy and Japan.
Production facilities are housed in Sweden and USA. 
     The Vitrolife share is listed on NASDAQ OMX Nordic Exchange, Small Cap.
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Vitrolife AB (publ), Box 9080, SE-400 92 Göteborg, Sweden. Corporate identity
number 556354-3452.
Tel: +46 31 721 80 00. Fax: +46 31 721 80 99. E-mail: info@vitrolife.com.
Homepage: www.vitrolife.com.

This is a translation of the Swedish version of the press release. When in
doubt, the Swedish wording prevails.