Sernova Receives Patent Allowance for Therapeutic Immune Privileged Cell Technologies

July 09, 2013 LONDON, ONTARIO (Marketwire - July 9, 2013) - Sernova Corp (TSX-V: SVA), today announced the Japan Patent Office has issued a Notice of Patent Allowance to Sernova for a patent entitled "The production of a biological factor and creation of an immunologically privileged environment using genetically altered Sertoli cells."

When transplanted into a recipient, Sertoli cells provide an immune privileged environment for therapeutic cells without the need for anti-rejection drugs. The claims of this patent relate to Sertoli cells themselves which can release factors in the body to treat a range of chronic diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, various cancers, hemophilia B and other blood diseases.

"This patent allowance further strengthens Sernova's intellectual property position and provides Sernova with the unique ability to use cells with therapeutic capabilities that are also naturally protected from immune system attack," stated Dr. Philip Toleikis, Sernova's President and CEO. "We envision our Cell Pouch(TM) transplanted with these immune privileged Sertoli cells and releasing the correct replacement factor for the treatment of a variety of diseases, without the need for anti-rejection medications. We believe such a product would be a significant advancement in the cell-based treatment of deficiency diseases."

Sernova's medical collaborators have presented evidence at leading scientific conferences demonstrating that the Cell Pouch(TM) is a safe and effective platform for the delivery of factors such as insulin from therapeutic cells. Sernova is developing the Cell Pouch(TM) as an enabling platform to treat multiple chronic debilitating diseases with immune protected, therapeutic cells and is currently evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Cell Pouch(TM) in human clinical trials for diabetes.

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