Takara Bio to collaborate with Sun Yat-Sen University in China to conduct clinical research of cancer immunotherapy targeting hepatocellular carcinoma using RetroNectin^® expansion culture system

Sep 1, 2008 --- Takara Bio Inc. (President & CEO: Ikunoshin Kato, Ph.D.) has entered into a collaboration agreement with Professor Xia Jian-chuan group of Cancer Center of Sun Yat-Sen University (Guangzhou, China) as of August 31, 2008. Under the agreement, the parties will cooperatively conduct clinical research of cancer immunotherapy intended to treat hepatocellular carcinoma utilizing Takara Bio's proprietary RetroNectin^® expansion culture system along with radiofrequency ablation therapy.

Founded in 1964, Cancer Center of Sun Yat-Sen University is the largest institution for prevention and treatment of cancer in Southern China, and it is also among the oldest and most well-established institutes for cancer research in China. The Cancer Center has much experience and expertise in the cancer immunotherapy field, actually treating several thousand patients per year by cancer immunotherapy in combination with radiofrequency ablation therapy, etc.

With technical support from Takara Bio on the RetroNectin^® expansion culture system, the clinical research will be conducted to treat 30 hepatocarcinoma patients by cancer immunotherapy, in which lymphocytes collected from the patients are activated and expanded ex vivo by using RetroNectin^® before being infused back into the patients, in combination with radiofrequency ablation therapy.

In the RetroNectin^® expansion culture system, lymphocytes are activated and expanded ex vivo by using RetroNectin^®, the company's proprietary recombinant human fibronectin fragment, in addition to interleukin-2 and anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody which have been conventionally used. Our previous studies demonstrate that not only can the number of lymphocytes be expanded more significantly by using RetroNectin^® expansion culture system, but also that the lymphocytes cultured by this system contain a higher portion of cells with a phenotype of naïve T cells, compared to those expanded without RetroNectin^®. Since it is also demonstrated that the lymphocytes cultured using RetroNectin^® are able to sustain longer in the body, they are expected to have higher ability to attack tumors.

[ About Takara Bio Inc. ]

Takara Bio Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company based in Shiga, Japan. As a world leader in biotechnology research and development, Takara Bio was the first company to market PCR technology in Japan and is also the developer of the RetroNectin^® reagent, which is a world-standard in gene therapy protocols. In addition to providing research reagents and equipment to the life science research market, Takara Bio has active research and product development activities in the fields of gene and cell-based therapy, and agricultural biotechnology; and is committed preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology. Through strategic alliances with other industry leaders, the Company aims to extend its reach around the world. More information is available at http://www.takara-bio.com.

This article is translated from press release in Japanese for your convenience.

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