To: HEALTH AND NATIONAL EDITORS

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Feb. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Rony Thomas, President and CEO of LifeNet Health, is presenting at the 7th Annual Stem Cell Summit in New York City on February 21, 2012. Mr. Thomas will be presenting on LifeNet Health's broad offerings of current and future regenerative biologic-based products. Mr. Thomas will also focus on the multiple new capabilities and technology platforms of the LifeNet Health Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120220/DC55479)

“The use of a variety of forms of donated tissues has worked for decades to save lives and restore health in many surgical disciplines. Now we are on the cusp of developing cellular therapies, tissue engineering and new medical applications for allografts to treat disease and assist in the development of lifesaving drugs. The opening of the LifeNet Health Institute of Regenerative Medicine this year will signal our commitment to future development in the cellular therapies arena,” stated Mr. Thomas. Thomas will further focus on two new areas of development; Human Basement Membranes in zeno-free culture of consented Human mRNA Reprogrammed Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSc) derived using non-integrating mRNA reprogramming technology from fully consented queryable human donor banked system.

Mr. Thomas was also recently invited to and attended a White House Summit to discuss ways in which technology and innovation can drive employment opportunities for Virginia, where LifeNet Health and the Institute are located. The meeting of key CEOs with the Obama Administration was to gain insight and input on the job market and technology as a driver to local, state, and national economies. Thomas stated, “Our foray into regenerative medicine should not only impact our state and local economy, but provide medical benefits to patients and drug companies across the globe.”

The annual Stem Cell Summit brings key leaders in the medical, scientific and business innovators in this growing space of technology and regenerative medicine. LifeNet Health is pleased to be joining the Summit for the first time in 2012 as they look for key partnerships and collaboration in the discovery of cell-based therapies for a broad spectrum of medical applications in orthopedics, trauma, dental, craniomaxillofacial (CMF), plastics, and cardiovascular surgery.

LifeNet Health helps to save lives and restore health for thousands of patients each year. We are the world's most trusted provider of transplant solutions, from organ procurement to new innovations in bio-implant technologies and cellular therapies–a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, while always honoring the donors and healthcare professionals that allow the healing process.

The LifeNet Health Institute of Regenerative Medicine is a division of LifeNet Health located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Institute's labs will be expanding as new facilities are under construction and planned to be completed in the fall of 2012. Once completed and fully functional, the Institute will house over 50 medical, scientific, and research staff members. The focus will be on the science of developing regenerative medicine products for patients all over the world, and will serve as a global center of excellence for research and development focused on cellular therapies, tissue engineering, and new medical applications for allografts to maximize the gift of donation.

SOURCE LifeNet Health

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