Spring Point Project Breaks Ground in New Richmond, WI

WHAT: Spring Point Project and Ryan Companies US, Inc. are breaking ground on a new biomedical research facility in New Richmond, Wisconsin on June 7. When the campus is completed in February 2007, Spring Point Project will begin producing pigs according to strict FDA guidelines to provide pig islets suitable for clinical trials, allowing those trials to begin as early as 2009.

Spring Point Project is a non-profit organization established to develop premier resource animals for clinical trials of pig islet cell transplantation. Specifically, Spring Point supports research to expedite the development of protocols for effective islet transplantation to treat diabetes. The organization will foster collaborative agreements with the University of Minnesota and its Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation. In addition to islet cell extractions, the Spring Point facilities and processes will also be of great value to academic institutions and biotech companies in need of high health pig organs and tissues for transplantation, studies, and other biomedical research.

Ryan is providing design, development and construction services for the site, which was secured through Welsh Cos.

KEY FACTS:

•  According to the American Diabetes Association, 20.8 million people in the United States have diabetes.

•  In February 2006, researchers at the University of Minnesota ’s Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation reported that they successfully reversed diabetes in monkeys using transplanted islet cells from pigs.

•  While researchers have previously used islet transplantation to reverse type 1 diabetes in humans, further research is needed and demand for islet cells currently outweighs supply.

•  The Spring Point Project was established for the sole purpose of solving the pig islet supply shortfall to expedite a cure for diabetes.

•  The animal housing facilities at Spring Point Project have been designed to meet the organization’s complex and specific air handling, showers, autoclaving and sterilization requirements.

•  The 21,000 square-foot facility will comply with all governmental regulations for a Source Animal Facility producing animals whose organs and tissues are suitable for human xenotransplantation.

PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

•  Spring Point Project CEO Henk Schuurman, Sprint Point Project executive director Tom Spizzo and Ryan Companies president Pat Ryan breaking ground on the new project.

•  Pat Ryan, Ryan project manager Kaymarie Colaizy, Tom Cartier, and Dr. Bernhard Hering speaking about the impact potential of this project.

WHEN/WHERE:

12 p.m., Wednesday, June 7           
Spring Point Project site
1360 200th Avenue
New Richmond, WI

CONTACT:
Lora Johnson, Padilla Speer Beardsley
612-455-1740 (office) / 612-751-9744 (mobile)
ljohnson@psbpr.com