Healthcare
Biotech
Medical Equipment
OTC BB: EXTI
Exten Industries, Inc.
9620 Chesapeake Dr., Suite 201
San Diego, CA 92123
Gerald Newmin
Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
Interview conducted by:
Walter Banks, Co-Publisher
CEOCFOinterviews.com
August 2001
BIO OF CEO
Jerry Newmin has managed NYSE and
American Exchange-listed Fortune 500 companies and start-ups, specializing in turning
around troubled companies and improving revenues, profits and shareholder value. He has
been President of HealthAmerica and International Silver Company, CEO of numerous
Whittaker Divisions, VP of American Medicorp, CEO of SYS and Chairman of International
Forum for Corporate Directors. Additionally, Jerry is Chairman, Treasurer and Director for
Xenogenics Corp.
About
Exten Industries, Inc.
Exten
Industries, Inc., through its Xenogenics Corporation subsidiary, is engaged in the
business of managing the research and development and commercialization of the SybiolŪ synthetic
bio-liver, an "artificial liver" or liver support system. The SybiolŪ liver
device is based on technology for continuously circulating liver cells (hepatocytes)
through a semi-permeable bio-membrane.
On April 2, 2001, Exten Industries, Inc. announced that they had signed a Letter of
Intent to acquire its research and development partner, privately held MultiCell
Associates, Inc. (MultiCell) of Warwick, RI in a cash plus stock transaction. Specific
details were not disclosed. This acquisition will solidify the working relationship
between the two firms in their joint liver assist device program.
MultiCell is a highly respected research company with unique expertise in developing
functional cells and cell lines with a special focus on liver derived cells. They have
several patents issued on their immortalized hepatocytes or engineered liver cells.
MultiCell’s mission, to develop and commercialize cells for diagnosis and treatment
of liver diseases, has resulted in an exclusive non-tumorigenic DNA-engineered porcine
hepatocyte cell line. Exten has redesigned their device to operate with the MultiCell
technology using DNA engineered liver cells.
The
SybiolŪ liver therapy device is intended to be used as an artificial liver
"bridge" for transplant patients when no donor organ is available, and, via
regular outpatient treatments, maintain essential liver functions for patients with
chronic liver disease or other liver trauma until the human liver heals and is able to
resume normal liver functions. It may also increase the quality of life in those patients
who are not curable. Lastly, the device may be an effective tool for laboratory testing,
veterinary applications, and/or drug testing applications.
CEOCFOinterviews - Mr. Newmin, can you give us a
brief history of Exten Industries?
Mr. Newmin: "Exten
has been around for a long time, but my involvement began in late 1995. The company
acquired the artificial liver device technology from a major medical center in Los Angeles
in l993. Exten then stopped all its other activities and concentrated solely on an
external biological device to artificially perform some of the basic functions of the
human liver. The device is trademarked SybiolŪ for synthetic bio-liver.
CEOCFOinterviews - Where
is your external liver device in its development?
To
receive a complete copy of this interview call: 570-839-0236
