RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. and LENEXA, K.S., Dec. 13, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- ThermoGenesis Corp. (Nasdaq:KOOL) and Mediware Information Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:MEDW) announced today that they will form a collaboration to develop the design for the industry's first fully integrated logistics system to make personalized cell and tissue therapy safer and more accessible. Currently, there is no integrated tracking system that monitors and manages the manufacturing process from cell collection to patient administration.
Personalized cell and tissue therapy products or CTT products are created from blood or tissue of a single donor and are administrated to that donor or a matched patient. Cell therapy products, including umbilical cord blood stem cells, are used to treat patients for leukemia, lymphoma, and over 60 other life threatening genetic diseases. Over 7,000 transplants based on cord blood stem cell therapies have already taken place. It is expected that this information and tracking system could lead to broader application of cell based products and therapies. According to the National Institute of Health, there are over 2,800 clinical trials using targeted tissue therapy products underway.
ThermoGenesis' Chairman and CEO, Philip Coelho, said, "This system would comply with anticipated FDA cGTP (current Good Tissue Practice) regulations and Part 11 Electronic Records and Electronic Signature due for adoption soon. We expect that this system will become the industry standard for assuring safe and cost effective manufacturing of cell therapy products."
The newly integrated software system would take advantage of ThermoGenesis' experience in CTT products and Mediware's long track record in blood bank management and safety control systems. The system would link three of ThermoGenesis' flagship products: BioArchive(r) System -- used to cryopreserve and archive cord blood stem cells for future transplant, its AutoXpress(tm) System -- used to isolate and capture stem cells and the CryoSeal(r) Fibrin Sealant System -- used to prepare an autologous protein transfer media for affixing stem cells in a target site with Mediware's Cellular Product System (CPS(tm)) which provides advanced configurable workflow and inventory management functionality allowing compliance with evolving cGMP and cGTP requirements.
Mediware's CEO, James Burgess, said, "This agreement places both Mediware and ThermoGenesis at the leading edge of new frontiers in the personalized medicine fields. It also extends Mediware's track record of leadership and innovation in developing technologies to manage the use of biologic products. The ability to bring more safety, transparency and liquidity to the CTT supply chain should accelerate broader use of this powerful therapeutic technology."
About ThermoGenesis Corp.
ThermoGenesis Corp. is a leader in enabling technologies for cell therapeutics. The Company's technology platforms lead the world in their ability to produce biological products from single units of blood.
-- The BioArchive System, an automated robotic cryogenic device,
is used by major cord blood stem cell banks in 26 countries
as a key enabling technology for cryopreserving and archiving
cord blood stem cell units for transplant.
-- The AutoXpress System, currently undergoing testing, is a semi-
automated robotic device and companion sterile closed blood
processing disposable, to harvest stem cells from cord blood.
-- The CryoSeal FS System, a semi-automated device and companion
sterile blood processing disposable, is used to prepare hemostatic
and adhesive surgical sealants from the patient's blood in about
an hour. Enrollment in a 150 patient U.S. pivotal clinical trial
has been completed and a PMA is being prepared.
-- The Thrombin Processing Device(tm) (TPD(tm)) is a sterile blood
processing disposable that prepares activated thrombin from
a small aliquot of patient blood, or blood plasma in 25 minutes.
The TPD market launch is underway in Europe.
About Mediware Information Systems, Inc.
Mediware is a leading provider of software solutions and services for medication management, blood and cellular products and perioperative departments. With over 1,100 worldwide installations, Mediware provides hospitals, clinics, correctional institutions, blood centers and other, public and private, health care institutions with proprietary software solutions for blood donor testing and distribution, transfusion services, tissue management, cord blood processing and stem cell management, pharmacy, medication management, ordering and electronic prescribing, and operating room scheduling, preference management, and documentation. Mediware provides a full suite of support and related services for each of its solutions. For more information about Mediware, its services and products, including HCLL(tm) Donor and Transfusion, LifeTrak(r), WORx(r), MediMAR(r), MediCOE(tm), Perioperative Solutions(tm), and JAC medicine management systems visit www.Mediware.com.
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Act") and in releases made by the SEC from time to time. Such forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in either company's Annual Report for the year ended June 30, 2005 which may cause the actual results for either company's annual report to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Both Companies disclaim any obligation to update its forward-looking statements.