Herzogenrath, February 1^st, 2019 - Despite snow and frozen ground, the entire Matricel team did not miss the opportunity to celebrate the symbolic starting signal for the new company building with the traditional groundbreaking ceremony.

Matricel GmbH was founded in 2001 as a spin-off from the Helmholtz Institute of the RWTH Aachen University and was located right from the start in the Technology Park Herzogenrath (TPH) in Herzogenrath, Germany. The medical device manufacturer is active in the field of regenerative medicine. The key to Matricel’s success is based on the innovative collagen implant technologies, which are always developed in close collaboration with clinical research partners. Matricel's collagen products are mainly used in dentistry and orthopedics and will soon be certified for nerve regeneration as well.  The company has product approvals in all continents of the world.

As a consequence of this steady growth, the TPH facilities became too small, despite several expansions within the TPH. On an area of 4,000 m², a tailored new building will be built which not only meets all aspects of Matricel's GMP-compliant cleanroom production, but also sets standards regarding building technology and environmental aspects.

The ceremony was accompanied by Michael Eßers, Managing Director of the Technology Park Herzogenrath GmbH, and the mayor of the city of Herzogenrath, Christoph von den Driesch. In his speech, von den Driesch emphasized in particular that Matricel was a prime example of the successful transfer from a start-up to a globally successful company. Furthermore, he expressed his gratitude that the city of Herzogenrath could also contribute by its economic policy that Matricel made this long term commitment to stay and invest further in the region.

Herzogenrath, 24. November 2015 – Matricel announced today the receipt of the authorization for the distribution of its dental barrier membrane creos™ xenoprotect by the Mexican health authorities Comisión Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios (Cofepris).

In 2009 Matricel’s dental collagen barrier membrane received the CE mark and was approved for the use in dental tissue regeneration procedures. Since then, the new membrane could convince many implantologists and periodontologists across Europe due to its good tissue compatibility, the excellent handling, the high tensile strength in dry and rehydrated state and for its long stability against degradation without the use of chemical-crosslinking.

Furthermore Matricel received the market clearance by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013 and the approval of Health Canada in May 2015, which completes the availability of creos^TM xenoprotect in North America.

With the authorization granted today by Cofepris, the availability of the dental membranes is now extended to Central America. As in Europe and North America, the distribution of the membrane in Mexico is performed by Nobel Biocare under the brand name creos^TM xenoprotect.

“The interest and global demand for our collagen membranes is very substantial," says Matricel CEO Dr. Ingo Heschel, “we are delighted that we can now also satisfy the demand of Nobel Biocare’s customers in Mexico.”

More information on creos™ xenoprotect can be found on Nobel Biocare´s website www.nobelbiocare.com.

Herzogenrath, October 26, 2015 - Vericel Announces Long-Term Supply Agreement with Matricel for Key Component of MACI™

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., October 26, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Vericel Corporation (NASDAQ: VCEL), a leading developer of patient-specific expanded cellular therapies for the treatment of severe diseases and conditions, today announced that it has signed a long-term supply agreement with Matricel GmbH for the ACI-Maix collagen membrane used in the manufacture  of MACI™, Vericel’s investigational third-generation autologous cultured chondrocyte implant for the treatment of symptomatic full-thickness  cartilage defects of the knee.  Matricel is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices and pharmaceutical excipients, including biocompatible matrices for use in regenerative medicine, and supplied ACI-Maix membranes used in the production of MACI when it was previously marketed outside the U.S. by Genzyme Corporation, a Sanofi company.

“Matricel’s proprietary collagen scaffold technology and previous experience as a reliable supplier of the ACI-Maix membrane for MACI make Matricel a valuable partner for us as we pursue registration of MACI in the United States,” said Nick Colangelo, president and CEO of Vericel.  “We look forward to a long and productive relationship with Matricel.”

“Partnering with Vericel, a leader in developing patient-specific cell therapies, opens up very innovative market segments for Matricel in regenerative medicine” stated Ingo Heschel, managing director of Matricel.  

About Vericel Corporation

Vericel Corporation (formerly Aastrom Biosciences, Inc.) is a leader in developing patient-specific expanded cellular therapies for use in the treatment of patients with severe diseases and conditions.  The company markets two autologous cell therapy products in the U.S.: Carticel^® (autologous cultured chondrocytes), an autologous cultured chondrocyte implant for the treatment of cartilage defects in the knee, and Epicel^® (cultured epidermal autografts), a permanent skin replacement for the treatment of patients with deep-dermal or full-thickness burns comprising greater than or equal to 30% of total body surface area.  Vericel is also developing MACI™, a third-generation autologous cultured chondrocyte implant for the treatment of symptomatic, full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee, and ixmyelocel-T, a patient-specific multicellular therapy for the treatment of advanced heart failure due to ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.  For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.vcel.com.

The Vericel Corporation logo is available at www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/.

About Matricel GmbH

Matricel GmbH is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices and pharmaceutical excipients for applications in medicine and biotechnology.  Matricel’s product focus is on bioresorbable medical class III collagen implants for clinical applications in regenerative medicine.  Matricel has vast experience in collagen technology and comprehensive understanding of the biological processes involved during remodeling of collagen scaffolds and tissue regeneration. Matricel is a contract manufacturer for pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers and cooperates in the development of collagen-containing products.  Its products are approved in Europe, the U.S., Canada and other territories for use in orthopedics, guided bone regeneration, and skin and soft tissue regeneration.   Matricel is based in Herzogenrath, Germany.  For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.matricel.com.

This document contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements concerning anticipated progress, objectives and expectations regarding the commercial potential of our products, and revenue trends and gross margin improvements, intended product development, clinical activity timing and regulatory pathway and timing, integration of the acquired business, and objectives and expectations regarding our company described herein, all of which involve certain risks and uncertainties. These statements are often, but are not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "plans," "expects," "we believe," "we intend," and similar words or phrases, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "potential," “can continue,” "could," "may," or similar expressions. Actual results may differ significantly from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that may result in differences are the inherent uncertainties associated with competitive developments, integration of the acquired business, clinical trial and product development activities, regulatory approval requirements, the availability and allocation of resources among different potential uses, estimating the commercial potential of our products and product candidates and growth in revenues and improvement in costs, market demand for our products, and our ability to supply or meet customer demand for our products. These and other significant factors are discussed in greater detail in Vericel’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 25, 2015, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and Vericel does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release except as required by law. 

CONTACT:   

Chad Rubin

The Trout Group

crubin@troutgroup.com

(646) 378-2947

or

Lee Stern

The Trout Group

lstern@troutgroup.com

(646) 378-2922

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Herzogenrath, June 11^th 2015 - With the approval by Health Canada Matricel expands the distribution area of the membranes for dental tissue regeneration.

In 2009 Matricel’s dental collagen barrier membranes received the CE mark and are approved for the use in dental tissue regeneration procedures. Since then, the membrane could win the trust of a wide range of implantologists and periodontists across Europe, not at least by its good tissue compatibility, the excellent handling, the high tensile strength in wet and rehydrated state and for a natural, chemical non-crosslinked membrane extraordinary resorption rate.

After the market clearance by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013, the market entry in the United States of America was performed in cooperation with our global distribution partner Nobel Biocare.

In May 2015, Matricel additionally received the approval of the Canadian health authorities (Health Canada) and now starts its further expansion to the North American dental market.

Shortly Canadian implantologists, periodontists and their patients can benefit from the availability of the high-purity collagen membranes for a successful natural tissue regeneration. Similar to the US market, the membrane is offered in Canada under the brand name creos^TM xenoprotect through the distribution network of Nobel Biocare. More information about the distribution of creos^TM xenoprotect you will also find on the Nobel Biocare Homepage.

Matricel nominated for Innovation Award

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