SAN FRANCISCO, GENEVA and MIAMI, Aug. 15, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:AMBS), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics related to endoplasmic reticulum stress, cell cycle dysregulation, neurodegeneration and apoptosis, announced that it exercised its exclusive option to license intellectual property related to MANF's utility in treating retinal disorders from the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and has entered into an exclusive license for said intellectual property. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company has been granted a perpetual, exclusive worldwide license to intellectual property, covering the use of MANF for the treatment of retinal disorders, including Retinitis pigmentosa.
The license agreement covers the use of the MANF-Family of proteins (MANF and CDNF) for retinal diseases including age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, inherited retinal disorders (including Retinitis pigmentosa), sporadic retinal disorders, other degenerative retinal disorders, and retinal injuries. The Company owns composition of matter patents and various composition and method of use patent applications for MANF and derivative sequences for protein therapeutic, gene therapy and certain cell therapy applications worldwide.
"With interim toxicology data now in hand, and with multiple data sets forthcoming in the third and fourth quarter for the MANF ophthalmology program focused initially on Retinitis pigmentosa, we believe now is the ideal time to exercise our option and move forward under the auspices of a full license agreement," said Gerald E. Commissiong, President & CEO of Amarantus. "Research groups around the globe have begun to investigate MANF's utility across a variety of ophthalmological areas, and this license from one of the world's preeminent ophthalmological institutes positions Amarantus as the sole commercial outlet for current and future inventions."
The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has been ranked No. 1 nationally in ophthalmology in U.S. News & World Report's annual "Best Hospitals" rankings for 11 consecutive years. Founded in 1962, Bascom Palmer is the largest ophthalmic care, research and educational facility in the southeastern United States. Its staff treats more than 250,000 patients and performs more than 13,000 surgeries annually. At the forefront of innovation in ophthalmology for more than five decades, the institute's physicians and scientists are internationally recognized for their expertise in every eye disorder, including glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, dry eye, eye cancers and eye diseases in children.
About Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF)
MANF (Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor) is believed to have broad potential because it is a naturally-occurring protein produced by the body for the purpose of reducing and preventing apoptosis (cell death) in response to injury or disease, via the unfolded protein response of the endoplasmic reticulum. By manufacturing MANF and administering it to the body, Amarantus is seeking to use a regenerative medicine approach to assist the body with higher quantities of MANF when needed. Amarantus is the front-runner and primary holder of intellectual property (IP) around MANF, and is initially focusing on the development of MANF-based protein therapeutics. MANF's current lead indication is Retinitis pigmentosa, and other applications including Parkinson's disease, and Wolfram's Syndrome. Additional applications for MANF may include Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), myocardial infarction, antibiotic-induced ototoxicity and certain other rare orphan diseases currently under evaluation.
About Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc.
Amarantus BioScience Holdings (AMBS) is a biotechnology company developing treatments and diagnostics for diseases associated with neurodegeneration and protein misfolding-related apoptosis. AMBS has licensed Eltoprazine ("Eltoprazine"), a phase 2b ready small molecule indicated for Parkinson's Levodopa induced dyskinesia and Adult ADHD. AMBS has an exclusive worldwide license to the Lymphocyte Proliferation test ("LymPro Test(R)") for Alzheimer's disease and owns the intellectual property rights to a therapeutic protein known as Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor ("MANF") and is developing MANF-based products as treatments for brain disorders. AMBS also owns intellectual property for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease ("NuroPro") and the discovery of neurotrophic factors ("PhenoGuard"). Amarantus operations are located at Janssen Labs @QB3 in San Francisco, CA. For further information please visit www.Amarantus.com, or connect with the Company on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+.
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