WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MultiCell Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: MCET.OB) is pleased to announce the filing of a U.S. patent application concerning methods and formulations to achieve targeted tumor cell death. MCT-485 is a noncoding double stranded micro RNA (miRNA) which has demonstrated oncolytic and immune stimulating activity in in vitro models of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of primary liver cancer, and is a leading cause of cancer death. Hepatocellular carcinoma remains an unmet medical need, and today's approaches for treatment are of limited efficacy. A potential role for noncoding double stranded miRNAs such as MCT-485 in the control of tumors has recently emerged in a variety of models with recognition of their ability to stimulate an immune response or directly affect cell death.

Current standard-of-care in certain clinical stages of hepatocellular carcinoma is based on trans catheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) utilizing suspension of doxorubicin in lipiodol or drug eluting beads, with or without other approaches. While such approaches have shown an improvement of the clinical outlook over symptomatic treatment, novel compounds and treatments are needed to ensure a more durable management of tumor and delay or prevention of tumor relapse. Compounds such as MCT-485 possessing both oncolytic and immune activating properties could be superior to doxorubicin, cisplatin and other chemotherapies employed in TACE, as robust activation of immunity in the context of antigen release associated with cell death could have a more global and longer lasting anti-tumor effect.

The key need addressed by this invention is directing the powerful biological effect of miRNAs such as MCT-485 towards the tumor and away from normal tissues. Formulations that meet several criteria: (1) are safe enough to allow parenteral administration by infusion (venous, arterial) or topical administration (intra-tumoral); (2) achieve an increased bioavailability within tumor and tumor cells respectively, by virtue of having a ligand for a tumor associated receptor; and, (3) contain a synthetic miRNAs with one or more of immune modulating and cytotoxic modes of action when delivered via this formulation.

About MCT-485

MCT-485 is the first of a family of prospective cancer therapeutics based on the use of our patented TLR3 signaling technology. MultiCell owns rights to several issued U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications related to MCT-485. The mechanism of action of MCT-485 is pleiotropic:

    --  Induction of tumor cell death upon direct exposure, while normal cells
        are minimally affected.
    --  Production of TNF-alpha by cancer cells resulting in amplified tumor
        cell death and a localized immune reaction that has the potential to
        generalize and curb progression of metastatic cancer.

About MultiCell Technologies, Inc.

MultiCell Technologies, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics and discovery tools that address unmet medical needs for the treatment of neurological disorders, hepatic disease and cancer. For more information about MultiCell Technologies, please visit http://www.multicelltech.com.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about MultiCell's expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "believe", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "forecast", "could", and "would". MultiCell bases these forward- looking statements on current expectations about future events. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. Some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections in the forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to, the risk that we might not achieve our anticipated clinical development milestones, receive regulatory approval, or successfully commercialize our products as expected, the market for our products will not grow as expected, and the risk that our products will not achieve expectations. For additional information about risks and uncertainties MultiCell faces, see documents that MultiCell files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including MultiCell's report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2012, and all of MultiCell's quarterly and other periodic SEC filings. MultiCell claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements under the Act and assumes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of subsequent events.

SOURCE MultiCell Technologies, Inc.

SOURCE: MultiCell Technologies, Inc.