Soft tissue repair and regeneration using postpartum-derived cells

Patent Number: 7,560,276

Despite the fact the Celgene through Bob Hariri owns the majority of the placental tissue cells, this patent, assigned to Ethicon, seems to circumvent some of the Celgene claims and covers use of CD117 negative cells from placenta for wound healing.

The patent covers a method of stimulating soft tissue infiltration in a tissue defect by adding umbilical cord cells to a matrix and placing the matrix on a wound.  The patent specifically covers cells that are positive for CD10, CD13, CD44, CD73, CD90, PDGFR-alpha, and HLA, thus the cells could be mesenchymal in origin.

However for practice of the invention the cells can not express CD31, CD34, CD45, CD117, CD141, or HLA-DR. The patent also covers the growth of these cells in a media containing valine.  

The patent is useful for companies interested in entering the area of wound care using cord tissue but wanting to circumvent the Celgene patent fortress. 

View this patent on the USPTO website.