Press Releases

Skin graft substitute (ICX-SKN) commences Phase I

Cambridge, UK, 19th February 2007 – Intercytex (LSE: ICX), the leading cell therapy company focused on high impact treatments to restore and regenerate skin and hair, today announces that it has initiated a Phase I study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ICX-SKN.

ICX-SKN is being developed as a durable and robust skin graft substitute for use by surgeons and other hospital specialists. It comprises active, allogeneic, human dermal fibroblasts embedded in a human collagen matrix which has been laid down by fibroblasts.

This open-label trial is being conducted in the UK in 6 subjects. The safety and tolerability of the product will be determined at one month from the application of ICX-SKN to the wound area. Graft integration will also be evaluated by histological analysis.

Nick Higgins, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

“ICX-SKN could avoid the need for skin grafts in a number of surgical settings. This would be of immense medical and commercial value. I am very excited that we have commenced clinical development of this highly innovative product.”

Enquiries:

Intercytex
Nick Higgins, Chief Executive Officer: +44 (0) 161 904 4500

Financial Dynamics
David Yates/Anna Keeble: +44 (0) 207 831 3113

Skin Grafting and ICX-SKN

Skin grafting is a surgical procedure during which skin is excised from one part of the body and placed over a burn or wound to replace the damaged or missing skin. In the US, it is estimated that there are 138,000 skin grafts carried out annually as a consequence of trauma, elective or cosmetic surgery. Under standard skin grafting procedures, skin is surgically removed from the patient’s body prior to being grafted onto a wound, surgical site or burn. This is traumatic to the patient as further surgical procedures are required in addition to the injury already sustained. ICX-SKN is intended as a substitute to the skin grafts employed in these circumstances.

Since it is allogeneic, ICX-SKN can be used "off the shelf", giving much greater flexibility than a conventional skin graft.

About Intercytex

Intercytex is a cell therapy company which bridges aesthetic medicine and tissue repair. It is using its proprietary expertise in cell therapy to develop products that harness the innate ability of human cells to regenerate and repair the body.

Intercytex has four products in development:

ICX-RHY, a facial rejuvenation product to be launched in the second half of 2007
ICX-PRO, designed to stimulate active repair in chronic wounds - in a Phase III trial
ICX-TRC, a hair regeneration product – in a Phase II trial
ICX-SKN, being developed as a skin graft substitute – in a Phase I trial.

All Intercytex’ products are derived from unmodified, human cells.

Intercytex commenced operations in 2000 and currently employs around 75 staff. In addition to its head office in Cambridge, UK, it has a GMP clinical production facility with research and development laboratories in Manchester, UK. Additional laboratories are located in Boston, USA. Intercytex’ shares trade on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ICX.L.