LA JOLLA, Calif., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc.
(Nasdaq: ATIS) today announced that the Company has been awarded a four-year
grant in excess of $800,000 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), to develop
tissue-engineered human cartilage for the treatment of temporomandibular
disorders (TMD).
As defined in the 1996 NIH Technology Assessment Conference Statement,
temporomandibular disorders refer to a collection of medical and dental
conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and/or the muscles of
mastication (chewing), as well as contiguous tissue components. The term TMD
has been used to characterize a wide range of conditions including pain in the
face or jaw joint areas, headaches, ear pain, dizziness, loss of range of
motion of the jaw, clicking or popping sounds in one or both of the jaw
joints, and other complaints. The severity of these presenting conditions may
range from noticeable but clinically insignificant signs to seriously
debilitating pain and/or life-threatening dysfunction. Displacement of the
TMJ disc is a common finding among patients who seek treatment for TMD
symptoms. Research at Advanced Tissue Sciences focuses on the development of
a replacement TMJ disc of tissue-engineered human cartilage.
"A component of our business strategy is to use government grants to fund
feasibility studies for projects that leverage our existing technology into
new indications," said Gail K. Naughton, Ph.D., President of Advanced Tissue
Sciences. "In addition to providing potential solutions to patients for unmet
medical needs, a cartilage program for addressing TMJ dysfunction builds on
our experience to date with development of tissue-engineered orthopedic
cartilage products, and provides opportunities to expand our portfolio of
tissue-engineered human cartilage products to include craniofacial repairs."
"Temporomandibular disease affects more than 10 million Americans, and
every day we hear from patients with ongoing, debilitating pain and severe jaw
joint dysfunction," said Terrie Cowley, president of The TMJ Association. The
Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of education, patient
support and the promotion of new TMJ research. "Patients are extremely
frustrated with inaccurate diagnoses, untested treatments and the painful
disruption of everyday activities such as talking and eating. The TMJ
Association applauds the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research for recognizing the severity of these diseases and taking steps to
improve many lives."
Advanced Tissue Sciences is a tissue engineering company utilizing its
proprietary core technology to develop and manufacture human-based tissue
products for tissue repair and transplantation. The Company has two joint
ventures with Smith & Nephew plc. The first covers the application of
Advanced Tissue Sciences' tissue engineering technology for skin wounds and
includes Dermagraft(R) for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers,
TransCyte(TM) for the temporary covering of second and third-degree burns, and
future developments for venous ulcers, pressure ulcers, burns and other
non-aesthetic wound care treatments. The second joint venture is developing
tissue-engineered orthopedic cartilage, initially focusing on the repair of
cartilage in knee joints. The Company also has a strategic alliance with
Inamed Corporation for the development and marketing of several of Advanced
Tissue Sciences' human-based, tissue-engineered products for aesthetic and
certain reconstructive applications. In addition, the Company is developing
products for cardiovascular applications. For more information on Advanced
Tissue Sciences visit our web site at http://www.advancedtissue.com.
The discussions contained in this press release relating to research,
development, or commercialization of the Company's products that are not
strictly historical may be "forward-looking" statements which involve risks
and uncertainties. Funding provided in subsequent years over the term of the
four-year grant is contingent on the availability of funds from Congress,
subject to satisfactory performance by the Company, and will be at the sole
discretion of NIH. The Company may not successfully be able to obtain
continued funding when needed, develop any such products, complete clinical
trials, obtain regulatory approvals (or obtain any such approvals on a timely
basis), manufacture or successfully commercialize any such products. These
and other risks are detailed in the Company's publicly available filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission including, but without limitation,
Advanced Tissue Sciences' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
June 30, 2000. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the
results of any revision to these forward-looking statements to reflect events
or circumstances arising after the date hereof.
SOURCE Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc.
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http://www.advancedtissue.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/532975.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 532975
CONTACT:
Jana Stoudemire, Senior Director, Corporate
Communications of Advanced Tissue Sciences, Inc., 858-713-7802
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