by John George
Philadelphia Business Journal
September 11, 2005
"It sounds like a science fiction story, but a Montgomery County life sciences company is already testing a way to use a patient's own cells to grow replacement tissue and organs.
The futuristic concept is real enough to have raised $39 million in venture capital for Tengion Inc.
Tengion plans to use the proceeds from the private stock sale to further the development of its lead products, which are organs and tissues derived from a patient's cells that can be used to replace a patient's diseased or impaired organ or tissue.
The company's most advanced product -- not yet tested in humans -- is an autologous pediatric bladder.
In biology, autologous refers to cells, tissues or proteins that are taken from the individual being treated and reimplanted in order to augment, repair or replace specific organs or tissues.
Dr. Steven Nichtberger, president and CEO, said Tengion's technology is based on more than 15 years of research and an extensive intellectual property foundation licensed from Children's Hospital Boston, the pediatric teaching hospital of the Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology."