OCEANSIDE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)----International Stem Cell Corporation, Inc. (OTCBB: ISCO) announced
today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology, LLC,
has entered into a research agreement with the Regents of the
University of California for three studies, one of which is focused on
stem cell therapy for the possible treatment of macular degeneration
and retinitis pigmentosa.
International Stem Cell Corporation's focus is on the development
of stem cell based treatment of diabetes, liver disease and diseases
of the retina, and on providing specialized cells and media to
scientists to conduct their cell based research. It maintains
corporate and research facilities in Oceanside, California; production
and product development in Walkersville, Maryland; and international
research facilities in Moscow, Russia.
The project with the University of California is entitled
"Characterization of New Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines and the
Differentiation into Retinal Progenitor Cell" and will be under the
direction of Dr. Hans Keirstead of the Reeve-Irvine Research Center at
the University's Irvine Campus.
The research agreement will involve three specific projects. The
first two projects will study Lifeline's proprietary stem cell lines
and how they compare to traditionally-derived human embryonic stem
cells.
The third project involves expanding Lifeline's ongoing studies
into differentiating Lifeline's proprietary stem cells into retinal
cells and their testing in animal models. The goal is the clinically
compliant derivation and functional characterization of high purity
populations of retinal pigment epithelial cells and photoreceptors.
This project has three aims: The first aim will improve methods to
change Lifeline's proprietary stem cells into retinal cells. This
research will be conducted in an FDA-compliant manner under the
supervision of Regulatory Quality Assurance Officers. The second aim
will test whether Lifeline's proprietary stem cells, when transplanted
into rodent models with retinal degeneration, will redistribute
throughout the retina, integrate and continue differentiation. The
third aim will assess the ability of the transplanted retinal cells to
slow down or reverse the damage caused by macular degeneration and
retinitis pigmentosa in the rodent models.
"This is an important step in testing the efficacy of our
proprietary stem cell lines and how they compare to
traditionally-derived embryonic stem cells," said Jeffrey Janus,
President of International Stem Cell Corporation.
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ABOUT LIFELINE CELL TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNATIONAL STEM CELL
CORPORATION:
International Stem Cell is a biotechnology company currently
focused on developing therapeutic and research products. In the area
of therapeutic product development, ISCO's objective is to create an
unlimited source of human cells for use in the treatment of several
diseases, including diabetes, liver disease and retinal disease
through cell transplant therapy. In furtherance of this objective,
ISCO is currently developing human stem cells, techniques to cause
those stem cells to be "differentiated" into the specific cell types
required for transplant, and manufacturing protocols to produce the
cells without contamination with animal by-products, a characteristic
likely to be important in meeting U.S. Food and Drug Administration
requirements. ISCO, through its subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology,
produces and markets a line of products for research that includes
serum-free growth media and reagents essential to the process of
creating and differentiating stem cells into therapeutic products
needed for therapeutic cell transplantation research to academic and
commercial researchers in related fields. For more information, visit
the ISCO website at: www.internationalstemcell.com.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT
This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to
the business of ISCO and its subsidiary. Investors are cautioned that
such forward-looking statements regarding ISCO, its technology,
clinical development and potential applications, constitute
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development
and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the
results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need to obtain
future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights.
Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in
these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this
press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties
that affect the company's business, particularly those mentioned in
the cautionary statements found in the company's Securities and
Exchange Commission filings. International Stem Cell Corporation
disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking
statements.
Contact:
International Stem Cell Corporation
Kenneth C. Aldrich, Chairman
kaldrich@intlstemcell.com
Jeff Krstich, CEO
jkrstich@intlstemcell.com
Jeffrey Janus, President
janusj@lifelinecelltech.com
760-940-6383
or
Investor Relations:
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Abigail Bruce/George Carpenter
abigail@capitalgc.com
george@capitalgc.com
Office: 415-332-7200
Fax: 415-332-7201
or
Media Relations:
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Nevena Orbach, 818-904-0500
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