Biocoral obtains Japanese patent for osteoblast differentiation.

Biocoral, Inc. announced that recently the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) approved and granted a company patent called method for inducing osteoblast differentiation of human extramedullary adipose tissue cells "Coral block - bone cells".

The Japanese Patent Office, after almost seven years of examining of the company's application, granted the patent innovation to Bio Holdings International Ltd., the company's wholly owned subsidiary, under the patent number 3650734. The patent will expire in 2018.

The JPO is officially part of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry  in Japan (METI) and contributes to the development of industry by securing and protecting the successful and creative development of structures for patents.

Biocoral, the company's primary product, a natural coral derived bone graft substitute, is widely used by numerous surgeons and practitioners because of its biocompatibility, resorbability, Osseo conduction and safety. These qualities will be enhanced by the present invention and this newly developed tissue engineering technique covered by the recently issued patent that deals with mesenchymal cells. These cells are obtained from a superficial biopsy excised from the patient, and are in vitro introduced by means of a bone promoter into bone cells and directly in the core of a Biocoral block, giving rise to a hybrid bone auto graft, i.e., Coral block-bone cells. Nasser Nassiri, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Biocoral, commented, "This is the fruit of the company's long term effort and collaboration over many years with accredited institutional laboratories and researchers. After France, United States and Australia, our patent now is granted in Japan and we further anticipate that our pending patent applications in a number of other countries worldwide will also receive approval very soon."

In addition, the company believes that the range of clinical applications for the new patented method is wide open in the field of bone regeneration (orthopedics, oral and maxillofacial surgery) especially the treatment of bone diseases associated with demineralization such as treatment of hip fracture and their prevention. The company is already ownes patent for the use of at least one biocompatible and bioabsorbable calcium salt for local treatment of bone diseases associated with demineralization or mineralization defects of bone, with the aim of reinitiating the process of bone remineralization.

Nasser Nassiri, further commented that, "This patent was filed in Japan in last quarter1998 and was in examination for almost seven years before being granted. The grant of this patent will complete the protection of company's technology in Japan where it is looking to develop its product.

Biocoral is an international biomaterials "tissue-engineering" company specializing in the research and development of proprietary health care patented high technology and biomaterials. Through its subsidiaries, the company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes bone graft substitutes and other high tech patented biomaterials in a number of countries outside the United States. Biocoral, Inc. through its subsidiaries has developed the additional twelve titles of patents for various applications and uses of its products, such as a method of treating a disease associated with demineralization or mineralization bone defects ("osteoporosis remediation"), and combination with growth factor, among others. With these patents titles applications in various countries in the European Community, Canada, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Switzerland, the company owns more than 219 patent applications around the world, and approximately 165 of these have thus far been granted by various countries' official government patent offices, including most European Community countries, Canada, Australia, Japan and in the United States by the United States Department of Commerce Patent and Trademark Office.

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