VistaGen Therapeutics Receives Notice of Allowance of U.S. Patent for Treatment of Osteoarthritis and Joint Injuries with Stem Cell-Derived Chondrocytes and Cartilage

VistaGen Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VTGN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing new generation medicines for depression and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and its wholly-owned stem cell technology-focused subsidiary, VistaStem Therapeutics, Inc., today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has provided VistaGen with a Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent Application No. 14/782,070 related to methods of producing pluripotent stem cell-derived chondrocytes, chondrocyte lineage cells, cartilage-like tissue and cartilage.

As quoted in the press release:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of the joints, generally caused by aging, injury, overuse or obesity. OA affects approximately 27 million adults in the U.S. alone. Chondrocyte and cartilage replacement represent potential new therapies for treatment of OA and a broad range of degenerative and debilitating diseases that could dramatically reduce the need for mechanical devices.

“OA and joint injury are major markets with high unmet need,” stated Shawn Singh, Chief Executive Officer of VistaGen. “This Notice of Allowance marks yet another forthcoming U.S. patent grant by the USPTO protecting our stem cell technology. This expected new U.S. patent relating to potential treatment of OA and joint injury and the U.S. patent we received last December relating to blood cells, platelets and bone marrow stem cells with potential to treat autoimmune disorders and cancer, enhance our ability, alone or with strategic partners, to develop and commercialize next generation health care products to address a wide variety of medical needs beyond the stem cell technology for treatment of heart disease that we licensed to BlueRock Therapeutics in December 2016.”

Click here to read the full press release.