Study Determines MiMedx Allograft Effectively Recruits Circulating Stem and Progenitor Cells

MARIETTA, Ga., Sept. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- MiMedx Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDXG), an integrated developer, processor and marketer of patent protected regenerative biomaterials and bioimplants processed from human amniotic membrane, announced today the publication of its latest peer-reviewed scientific study, "Progenitor Cell Recruitment By Dehydrated Human Amnion Chorion Grafts Promotes Neovascularization in a Murine Model of Dermal Ischemia", was electronically published in the Journal of Surgical Research. 

The electronic publication of the peer-reviewed article is now available in the Journal of Surgical Research at http://www.journalofsurgicalresearch.com/article/S0022-4804(14)00803-8/abstract. The paper was authored by Geoffrey C. Gurtner, MD, FACS; Thomas J. Koob, PhD; William W. Li, PhD; Zeshaan N. Mann, MBBS, MS, MRCS; and Robert C. Rennert, BA. The hard copy publication is expected to follow in a future issue of the Journal of Surgical Research.

Chronic non-healing wounds are a growing healthcare burden associated with significant patient morbidity.  It is known that stem cells are vital in normal wound repair and regeneration, and that non-healing wounds suffer from pathologies that can be attenuated by stem cells. A very promising therapeutic approach is the targeting of the dysfunctional neovascular processes which contribute to these wounds. This scientific study was established to confirm that PURION® Processed dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (dHACM) effectively targets these dysfunctional neovascular processes by recruiting cells that diminish these dysfunctional processes.

Study Highlights include:

• MiMedx PURION® Processed dHACM effectively recruits circulating and progenitor cells.
• The cells recruited by MiMedx PURION® Processed dHACM express markers of "stemness" and localize to sites of neovascularization, providing a partial mechanism for the clinical efficacy of PURION® Processed dHACM in the treatment of chronic wounds.
• Implanted PURION® Processed dHACM recruited significantly more progenitor cells compared to an untreated control and a decellularized xenograft (PriMatrix®).
• Implanted PURION® Processed dHACM upregulated expression of the major stem cell recruiting factor in the host, thereby amplifying the inherent stem cell recruiting properties of dHACM.

Parker H. Petit, Chairman and CEO, said, "The study established that MiMedx PURION® Processed dHACM is a biologically active scaffold that can recruit progenitor cells to a wound and thereby promote angiogenesis. Furthermore, dHACM may act synergistically with recruited cells to attenuate inflammation. The clinical benefits of dHACM may be partially explained by its ability to recruit circulating progenitor cells."

The study tested MiMedx PURION® Processed dHACM allografts for their ability to recruit hematopoietic stem cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to a surgically implanted dHACM graft in a murine ischemic injury model. Two murine models were used for the study: a wild type model and a parabiosis model. MiMedx PURION® Processed dHACM allografts were surgically implanted subcutaneously in wild mice and the number of hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal progenitor recruited to the graft with time after implementation were measured.

Bill Taylor, President and COO, stated, "The study indicates that the principal physiological activity of PURION® Processed dHACM is its ability to recruit and incorporate progenitor cells, thereby, eliminating the need to harvest autologous cells from adipose tissue or bone marrow, or to commercially obtain cryopreserved allogeneic progenitor cells."

PriMatrix® is a registered trademark of its owner.

About MiMedx

MiMedx® is an integrated developer, processor and marketer of patent protected regenerative biomaterial products and bioimplants processed from human amniotic membrane.  "Innovations in Regenerative Biomaterials" is the framework behind our mission to give physicians products and tissues to help the body heal itself.  Our biomaterial platform technologies include AmnioFix® and EpiFix®, our tissue technologies processed from human amniotic membrane that is derived from donated placentas. Through our donor program, mothers delivering full-term Caesarean section births can elect in advance of delivery to donate the placenta in lieu of having it discarded as medical waste. We process the human amniotic membrane utilizing our proprietary PURION® Process, to produce a safe and effective implant. MiMedx® is the leading supplier of amniotic tissue, having supplied over 275,000 allografts to date for application in the Wound Care, Surgical, Sports Medicine, Ophthalmic and Dental sectors of healthcare.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes statements that look forward in time or that express management's beliefs, expectations or hopes.  Such statements are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements include, but are not limited to the ability of PURION® Processed dHACM to recruit and incorporate progenitor cells eliminates the need to harvest autologous cells from adipose tissue or bone marrow, or to commercially obtain cryopreserved allogeneic progenitor cells.  These statements are based on current information and belief, and are not guarantees of future performance.  Among the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include that the ability of PURION® Processed dHACM to recruit and incorporate progenitor cells may not eliminate the need to harvest autologous cells from adipose tissue or bone marrow, or to commercially obtain cryopreserved allogeneic progenitor cells, and the risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, without limitation, its 10-K filing for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013.  By making these forward-looking statements, the Company does not undertake to update them in any manner except as may be required by the Company's disclosure obligations in filings it makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the federal securities laws.

SOURCE MiMedx Group, Inc.