MIMEDX Announces Collaborative Agreement with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Relationship Furthers Mutual Interest in the Development and Advancement of Scientific Evidence to Support Safe and Effective Clinical Therapies
MARIETTA, Ga., May 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MIMEDX Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDXG) (“MIMEDX” or the “Company”), an industry leader in utilizing amniotic tissue as a platform for regenerative medicine, today announced a collaborative agreement with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) to develop and advance scientific evidence in support of safe and effective clinical therapies. The partnership reflects a shared vision to advance regenerative science and innovative biologics that restore quality of life for patients, and is geared to further understanding product mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic targets.
Timothy R. Wright, MIMEDX Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We look forward to working with Dr. Anthony Atala and the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine to positively impact patient care. The need for scientific advancement and peer-reviewed clinical data has never been greater, and together, I believe this partnership demonstrates our mutual commitment to evolving the science and technology that advances human health, and supporting the advancement of safe and effective treatment options for patients. As the leader in amniotic tissue science, we look forward to our collaboration with WFIRM to advance the next generation of therapies for a broad range of disease states.”
Anthony Atala, M.D., Chair and Director of WFIRM said, “Regenerative medicine has captured the imagination of physicians and scientists worldwide, and inspires hope in patients looking for additional treatment options. I am eager to work with Tim Wright and his management team, and applaud the transformational progress they have made to strategically position MIMEDX for the future.”
“The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is designed for collaboration,” added Robert Stein, M.D., Ph.D., MIMEDX Executive Vice President of Research and Development. “This partnership will further our understanding of the scientific principles behind the effectiveness of newly emerging therapies, facilitate the evolution of laboratory and product development hypotheses into approved products, and bolster MIMEDX’s initiatives to more rigorously demonstrate the ability of amniotic tissues to address musculoskeletal and other chronic conditions.”
About the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM)
The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is recognized as an international leader in translating scientific discovery into clinical therapies, with many world firsts, including the development and implantation of the first engineered organ in a patient. Over 400 people at the institute, the largest in the world, work on more than 40 different tissues and organs. A number of the basic principles of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine were first developed at the institute. WFIRM researchers have successfully engineered replacement tissues and organs in all four categories – flat structures, tubular tissues, hollow organs and solid organs – and 15 different applications of cell/tissue therapy technologies, such as skin, urethras, cartilage, bladders, muscle, kidney, and vaginal organs, have been successfully used in human patients. The institute, which is part of Wake Forest School of Medicine, is located in the Innovation Quarter in downtown Winston-Salem, NC, and is driven by the urgent needs of patients. The institute is making a global difference in regenerative medicine through collaborations with over 400 entities and institutions worldwide, through its government, academic and industry partnerships, its start-up entities, and through major initiatives in breakthrough technologies, such as tissue engineering, cell therapies, diagnostics, drug discovery, biomanufacturing, nanotechnology, gene editing and 3D printing. For more information, please visit: https://wfirm.org.
Important Cautionary Statement
This presentation includes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and the Company cautions investors against placing undue reliance on such statements. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding (i) the safety or effectiveness of amniotic tissue as a therapy for any particular indication or condition; the results of any research or clinical trial may have little or no statistical value, or may fail to demonstrate that the product is safe or effective; and (ii) expected timing or results of scientific research, clinical trials, FDA submissions, potential FDA approvals, and potential product launch; the timing of future actions will depend on the results of clinical trials, and the Company may change its plans due to unforeseen circumstances, and delay or alter the timeline for future trials, analyses, or regulatory submissions. Additional forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "may," "plan," "potential," "will," "preliminary," and similar expressions, and are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. The Company describes additional risks and uncertainties in the Risk Factors section of its most recent annual report and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.
Participants in the Solicitation
The Company, its directors, director nominees and certain of its executive officers are participants in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders in respect of the Annual Meeting. The Company has filed a definitive proxy statement and associated WHITE proxy card in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Annual Meeting with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Details concerning the nominees of the Company’s board of directors for election at the Annual Meeting are set forth in the definitive proxy statement. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC, INCLUDING THE COMPANY’S DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY SUPPLEMENTS THERETO, AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Information regarding the identity of the Company’s participants and their respective interests in the matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting, by security holdings or otherwise, are set forth in the definitive proxy statement and other documents filed with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting. Investors and shareholders can obtain a copy of the definitive proxy statement and other documents filed by the Company free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company’s shareholders can also obtain, without charge, a copy of the definitive proxy statement and other relevant filed documents from the “SEC Filings” section of the Company’s website at www.mimedx.com.
About MIMEDX
MIMEDX is an industry leader in utilizing amniotic tissue as a platform for regenerative medicine, developing and distributing placental tissue allografts with patent-protected, proprietary processes for multiple sectors of healthcare. As a pioneer in placental biologics, we have both a core business, focused on addressing the needs of patients with acute and chronic non-healing wounds, and a promising late-stage pipeline targeted at decreasing pain and improving function for patients with degenerative musculoskeletal conditions. We derive our products from human placental tissues and process these tissues using our proprietary methods, including the PURION® process. We employ Current Good Tissue Practices, Current Good Manufacturing Practices, and terminal sterilization to produce our allografts. MIMEDX has supplied over two million allografts, through both direct and consignment shipments. For additional information, please visit www.mimedx.com.
Contact:
Investors
Jack Howarth
404-360-5681
investorrelations@mimedx.com
