BETA-CELL is a privately owned biopharmaceutical company that develops novel cell therapy and other products related to Diabetes. The company is a spin-off from the Brussels Free University - Diabetes Research Center (VUB-DRC). The DRC is a leader in the biology of insulin-producing beta cells and its use as platform for novel methods in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. It has particular expertise in cell isolation and quality control, stem/precursor cell characterization and differentiation, preparation of standardized beta cell grafts and organization and funding of multi-center clinical trials in diabetes patients. DRC is an internationally recognized center of excellence in the field of diabetes. BETA-CELL 's technology platform is based on prior, current and future work at the DRC. It has acquired proprietary technology for a first product line, with BetaGRAFT as a lead, and has an agreement on its first right of refusal on all diabetes related Intellectual Property (IP) generated at DRC. Recent developments have opened a second line in the field of beta cell regeneration, with BetaREG as a lead, and a third one in the field of drug screening and discovery, defined as BetaSCREEN.

BETA-CELL is a partner in an international R&D network performing multicenter clinical trials. The DRC has created, and is leading, the JDRF Center for Beta Cell Therapy in Diabetes, a European consortium of basic and clinical research departments with central facilities in Brussels and associated reference centers and bioindustry. This consortium develops methods and products that are needed for its roadmap towards several forms of beta cell therapy in diabetes, in particular beta cell transplantation and regeneration, beta cell drugs, beta cell diagnostics. It receives international support from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation ( New York ) and the European Union. As a biotechnology partner, BETA-CELL has privileged access to new technologies and knowledge in this consortium and to implementation of own products in trials of the JDRF Center .

BETA-CELL 's activities are part of a joined effort with the DRC and the BetaCellBank. With each aiming the same objectives, BETA-CELL represents the biotech company arm whereas the DRC operates as research department and the BetaCellBank as clinically recognized provider of cell grafts for clinical transplantation. Within this strategic alliance, BETA-CELL rents laboratory and office space at the medical campus of Brussels Free University and can thus benefit from daily direct access to state-of-the art facilities and new developments at DRC as well as to the BetaCellBank and its transplant trial team. This strategic alliance maximizes the efficiency of BETA-CELL's own resources . The option to continue BETA-CELL activities on the VUB-medical campus is important for further developments and compatible with the plan to start a production and service facility at another site.

BETA-CELL uses these key assets to start a clinical trial program during 2009. A first BetaGRAFT formulation will be tested in patients using allogeneic beta cells. The beta cell transplant program coordinated by the JDRF Center runs since more than 10 years and is officially recognized by the public health services in Belgium and by the Eurotransplant Foundation in Leiden . Novel clinical protocols are tested with the purpose of increasing efficacy and widening application. BETA-CELL will participate in a novel protocol which, when successful, will represent an important step towards the use of pig beta cells for the production of BetaGRAFT and the scaling-up of the transplant activities to the clinical need. BETA-CELL thus occupies a unique position in the development of beta cell grafts with wide application using patented, validated and stringently tested products. Key features of the commercial BetaGRAFT are its ability to survive, function and grow in a selected microenvironment that includes a biocompatible barrier that protects the grafted cells from rejection and the host from possible side effects. In the meantime, BetaCELL will co-develop BetaSCREEN and BetaREG. For the three lines, BetaCELL will amplify its respective participation and activities with the progress of the in vitro and in vivo studies.