SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - September 17, 2013) - Bio-Matrix Scientific Group Inc. (OTCQB: BMSN) announced that it has recruited, Dr. David Suhy, a pioneer in the field of RNA Interference (RNAi), to join the Scientific Advisory Board of Regen BioPharma Inc. ("Regen"), a subsidiary of Bio-Matrix Scientific Group Inc.
"Dr. Suhy, a pioneer of the RNAi industry, was already developing therapeutic candidates in this field in 2003 before the concept of RNAi was accepted in the scientific community," said David Koos, Chairman & CEO of Regen. "We are excited to apply Dr. Suhy's experience in the development of our RNAi based cancer therapeutic."
Regen's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Thomas Ichim, noted, "Dr. David Suhy, senior vice president of research and development at Tacere Therapeutics (a subsidiary of Benitec Biopharma), leads all Tacere's clinical development programs. He was one of the inventors of TT-034, a novel therapeutic product containing three separate RNAi elements targeted against the Hepatitis C virus, and has directed development of the TT-03x series of compounds which target the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), from the drawing board through to Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling studies."
A spokesperson for the Company provided further insight on RNAi, stating this is a process by which genes may be selectively blocked using a natural mechanism the body normally uses to protect against viruses. The Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Fire and Mello in 2006 for making this discovery. Benitec has been granted international patents on RNAi which have been licensed to Regen for one specific gene, indolamine 2,3 deoxygenase (IDO), which is associated with cancer's ability to suppress the immune system.
Regen Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Thomas Ichim together with Professor Weiping Min at the University of Western Ontario have successfully treated breast cancer (1) and melanoma (2) in animals using this approach.
"With Regen's background in the field of tumor immunology, their licensed intellectual property from Benitec Biopharma, and clinical expertise, I look forward to assisting the Company in developing their protocols with the end goal being taking this safe and nontoxic cancer therapy to patients," said Dr. Suhy.
References
1. Zheng et al. Silencing IDO in dendritic cells: a novel approach to enhance cancer immunotherapy in a murine breast cancer model. Int J Cancer. 2013 Feb 15;132(4):967-77.
2. Zheng et al. Reinstalling antitumor immunity by inhibiting tumor-derived immunosuppressive molecule IDO through RNA interference. J Immunol. 2006 Oct 15;177(8):5639-46.
3. http://www.fiercepharma.com/special-reports/yervoy/top-20-orphan-drugs-2018
About Regen BioPharma: Regen BioPharma, Inc., a subsidiary of Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. (OTCQB: BMSN), is a biotechnology company focused on identifying undervalued regenerative medicine applications in the stem cell space and rapidly advancing these technologies through pre-clinical and Phase I/ II clinical trials. For more information refer to the company's websitehttp://www.regenbiopharma.com/
Disclaimer: This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties to which forward looking statements are subject include, but are not limited to, the effect of government regulation, competition and other material risks.
Contact:
Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. and
Regen BioPharma Inc.
David R. Koos, PhD
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
619-702-1404
www.regenbiopharma.com