CEO of World's Leading Regenerative Medicine Company, Organogenesis, Gives Keynote Address at World Congress of Regenerative Medicine in Germany

LEIPZIG, Germany and CANTON, Massachusetts, October 18 /PRNewswire/ --     


    - Outlines Pathways to Profitability for Emerging Industry; Hundreds of
Thousands of Patients Already Treated Worldwide



    The prestigious 3rd Annual World Congress of Regenerative Medicine is
kicking off today in Leipzig, Germany with an opening keynote address from
Geoff MacKay, CEO of Organogenesis, Inc.



    The Congress invited MacKay to speak to the world's top scientific and
business leaders in cell biology and bio-engineering, to discuss
Organogenesis' role as the first company to have translated the exciting
science of regenerative medicine into a profitable, and scalable, business
model.



    MacKay's speech, which outlines pathways to profitability for the
emerging field of regenerative medicine, will also discuss "RegenMed 1.0" and
"RegenMed 2.0," terms coined by Chris Mason in a recent publication of the
journal Regenerative Medicine. RegenMed 2.0 is the more pragmatic second
phase within the development of this new field of medicine, moving beyond a
purely research-driven focus into full commercialization of new cell-based
therapies. With scientific hurdles overcome and potential therapies
discovered, oftentimes companies face larger hurdles when transitioning from
research entities into full-fledged commercial organizations.



    "RegenMed 2.0 is already here," says MacKay. "Patients' lives are being
transformed around the world, due to the work of many people attending the
World Congress. Regenerative medicine companies can, and need to, evolve into
successful entities, focused on business fundamentals in order to continue
the work that has been started."



    As encouragement to the industry, MacKay will also outline the successful
business strategies that Organogenesis has pursued to become the first
profitable regenerative medicine company. He will discuss a model for
companies exploring commercialization in regenerative medicine, and detail
how Organogenesis has successfully translated science from this field into
commercial therapies benefiting patients today.


LEIPZIG, Germany and CANTON, Massachusetts, October 18 /PRNewswire/ --     


    The field of regenerative medicine has now reached the stage of
translating groundbreaking science into viable product offerings. Challenges
in the field of "living technology" include product design, clinical
development, mass production, and distribution of a living product safely,
reliably, and economically. Unlike traditional medicines, living cells are
delicate, have a short lifespan, and thus pose tremendous challenges to
deliver in the form of therapies.



    Organogenesis is the first company to successfully mass produce living
regenerative medicine products - reaching hundreds of thousands of patients -
and to have reached sustained profitability. Its signature product,
Apligraf(R), is the first bio-engineered cell therapy to have received FDA
approval, and is used by doctors successfully in treating patients with
diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers in the U.S. and other markets
across the world.



    Organized by the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology
(IZI), the 3rd World Congress of Regenerative Medicine is being held in
Leipzig, Germany from October 18-20, 2007 at the Congress Center Leipzig.



    The World Congress represents an international cohort of scientists,
business leaders and regulatory experts. During the Congress, internationally
renowned scientists from many different countries will be presenting their
latest findings on stem cell technology. The papers will concentrate on bone
tissue, cartilage, immunology, skin and nerves, as well as new types of
imaging techniques in connection with regeneration. Discussion and exchange
of information on these topics will extend from academia to industry.



    Also an invited speaker is Dr. Vincent Ronfard, Chief Science Officer of
Organogenesis, who will chair a session of scientists focusing on the
utilization of natural biomaterials as a source material for regenerative
medicine products.



    MacKay will also speak next month regarding commercializing regenerative
medicine at the 5th Annual Commercial Translation for Regenerative Medicine
conference in London on November 14-15.



    About Regenerative Medicine


    A new frontier in healthcare, regenerative medicine is an evolving
therapeutic approach that utilizes living cells to repair or replace body
tissue damaged by injury, disease or the aging process. It is a
multidisciplinary field involving biology, medicine and engineering.



    Regenerative therapies rely on the body's own natural ability to repair
and regenerate, and enable the body to heal itself Regenerative medicine also
empowers scientists to grow living cells, tissues and organs in the
laboratory, and to safely implant them into the human body for the purposes
of healing.



    The related terms "Tissue Regeneration," "Tissue Engineering" and "Stem
Cell Therapies" are often used to refer to some of the activities under the
umbrella of regenerative medicine.



    About Organogenesis, Inc.


    Massachusetts based Organogenesis, Inc. is the world's most successful
regenerative medicine company and is focused in areas of bio-active wound
healing, bio-surgery and bio-aesthetics. Organogenesis delivers living tissue
"on demand," and its mission is to bring the medical marvel of regenerative
medicine products to patients and to standardize their use in everyday
medical care. For more information, visit www.organogenesis.com.



    Web site: http://www.organogenesis.com



Organogenesis, Inc.