Corning buys rights to MultiCell human cell lines

LINCOLN – MultiCell Technologies Inc. (OTC BB: MCET) has announced an exclusive global license and purchasing agreement with Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) for the company’s Fa2N-4 adult human liver-cell lines. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Besides paying MultiCell a license fee for the “immortalized” cell lines, Corning has agreed to purchase inventory and equipment related to the cell-line business, hire certain MultiCell scientific personnel and pay for access to the company’s labs during the cell lines’ transfer.
“We are pleased to partner with Corning in the drug discovery assay tools, ADME/Tox and biomarker segments,” Jerry Newmin, chairman of the MultiCell board of directors, said in a statement.
The Lincoln company will retain the right to use the Fa2N-4 cells in applications not related to drug discovery or ADME/Tox assays. MultiCell also will retain the right to use those and other cell lines in further developing its Sybiol liver-assisting device, in producing therapeutic proteins via the company’s BioFactories technology, and in drug-target identification and other applications in its internal drug-development programs.
“MultiCell’s focus is on using our therapeutic antibody and Toll-like receptor (TLR) technologies to develop new drug candidates, and to advance our lead drug candidate, MCT-125, for the treatment of primary MS-related fatigue,” Newmin said.
The company will retain, and will continue to support, all its existing licensees, including Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Eisai Japan.
MultiCell Technologies Inc. (OTC BB: MCET) is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of new drugs and drug-development technologies. The company also produces cell lines for use by the pharmaceutical industry. Additional information is available at www.multicelltech.com.