U.S. Patent Office Grants MultiCell Technologies New Liver Stem Cell Patent

April 19, 2005

MultiCell Technologies, Inc. (MultiCell, the Company) (OTCBB: MUCL), an innovator in liver cells, announced today that the U.S Patent Office granted MultiCell US Patent Number 6,872,389 for its liver stem cell invention of Dr. Ronald Faris, MultiCell's Chief Science Officer. This patent contains 24 claims to a method of obtaining a population of liver cell clusters. The Company's previous US liver stem cell patent 6,129,911, issued October 10, 2000 contains 50 claims to an isolated liver cluster, a primary liver stem cell, and a method of obtaining an isolated liver stem cell.

The primary liver cell cluster, which is the heart of the invention, contains a hepatocyte (liver cell) together with a stem cell (undifferentiated cell), which can differentiate into a mature, functioning hepatocyte or bile duct cell. These stem cells can be obtained from adult tissue. This breakthrough invention provides primary liver stem cells, which can be used to treat degenerative liver diseases or inherited deficiencies of liver function.

"This patent provides important intellectual property protection for our adult stem cell portfolio," said Stephen Chang, Ph.D, President of MultiCell. "Liver disease is a major problem in this country, and we believe that the opportunities to monetize the technology are substantial."

The cells can be used as the biological component of perfusion devices or liver assist devices such as the Sybiol synthetic bio-liver device patented by the Company's Xenogenics subsidiary. The invention also provides a method for isolating and utilizing stem cells and cell doublets for hepatic transplantation and gene therapy.

The importance of the invention relating to the cell-mediated treatment of liver disease is that it may avoid the need for costly organ transplantation for the treatment of certain liver diseases. 25 million Americans now have some form of liver disease, indicating a growing need for a safe liver device utilizing cells of human origin. Serious liver disease affects over 300,000 people each year and represents a market opportunity of about $2 billion.

Liver stem cells also can be used for in-vitro toxicology testing, which is important because liver damage caused by medications or chemical compounds is a key reason for the ever increasing and expensive phenomenon of drug recalls. Although the assignee listed on the Patent is Rhode Island Hospital (RIH), under an April, 2002 amendment that was negotiated to the November 25, 1998 patent license agreement between MultiCell Technologies and RIH, RIH continues to grant rights to a patent portfolio in exchange for royalty payments from MultiCell to RIH on future sales. This new US patent also provides protection in US territories.

MultiCell is a leading supplier of non-tumorigenic immortalized human hepatocytes. For more information about MultiCell call 401-738-7560 or see www.multicelltech.com. MultiCell's new laboratories are at 701 George Washington Highway, Lincoln, Rhode Island 02865, (401) 333-0610.

The matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These risks are detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the Company's Annual Report, Quarterly Reports and other periodic filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

CONTACT:

MultiCell Technologies, Inc., Jerry Newmin, 401-333-0610 or CEOcast, Inc. for MultiCell Ed Lewis, 212-732-4300

Copyright © 2004 Genetic Engineering News.

This article posted May 22, 2005.