Article Details ISCO’sSolutions To Ethical And
Immune Rejection Issues
International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:
ISCO) (www.internationalstemcell.com),
the first company to perfect a method of creating human
"parthenogenetic" stem cells from unfertilized eggs, has been featured
in the January 31, 2009, edition of The
Economist, the authoritative weekly publication focusing on
international politics and business news and opinion.
The article, titled "Embryonic Stem Cells: Can I Serve You Now?,"
details how ISCO's unique parthenogenetic approach helps resolve two of
the conundrums that have long shadowed stem cell research: ethical
issues and immune rejection difficulties. "ISCO has found a way of
producing embryonic-like stem cells from unfertilized eggs. The egg is
chemically stimulated to create a group of cells that form a non-viable
(and unfertilized) 'embryo' . . . something that could not be implanted
into a woman's womb and produce a child. Nonetheless, the cells it
contains have the same characteristics as stem cells. Besides the
ethical advantages this procedure has, it could also have medical ones.
Because lines of stem cells created in this way have only one parent,
they are immunologically simpler than normal embryonic cells—in other
words they have a smaller variety of the proteins that trigger immune
rejection."
"We are very pleased to see coverage of this kind in a publication as
venerable and prestigious as The Economist," says International
Stem Cell Corporation Chairman and CEO Kenneth Aldrich. "For a variety
of reasons, it is clear that there is renewed interest in the stem cell
research arena, and we are grateful to The Economist for allowing
us to communicate our story."
The complete article can be accessed by visiting: http://www.economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13014104&source=hptextfeature About The Economist The Economist offers timely reporting, concise commentary and
comprehensive analysis of global news in its weekly magazine and online
at economist.com. With objective authority, clarity and wit, The
Economist presents the world's political, business, scientific,
technological and cultural affairs and the connections between them.
Edited in London since 1843, The Economist has a worldwide print
circulation of more than 1.3 million and three million monthly visitors
to www.Economist.com.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL STEM CELL
CORPORATION (ISCO.OB)
International Stem Cell Corporation is a California biotechnology
company focused on developing therapeutic and research products. ISCO's
technology, Parthenogenesis, results in the creation of
pluripotent human stem cell lines from unfertilized human eggs. ISCO
scientists have created the first Parthenogenetic homozygous stem
cell line (phSC-Hhom-4) that can be a source of therapeutic cells
that will minimize immune rejection after transplantation into hundreds
of millions of individuals of differing sexes, ages and racial groups.
These advancements offer the potential to create the first true "Stem
Cell Bank" and address ethical issues by eliminating the need to use or
destroy fertilized embryos. ISCO also produces and markets specialized
cells and growth media worldwide for therapeutic research through its
subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology. For more information, visit the
ISCO website at: www.internationalstemcell.com.
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Key Words: Stem Cells, Biotechnology, Parthenogenesis
International Stem Cell Corporation Kenneth C. Aldrich, Chairman,
CEO kaldrich@intlstemcell.com 760-940-6383 or Jeffrey
Janus, President jjanus@intlstemcell.com 760-940-6383 or The
Investor Relations Group 212-825-3210 Investor Relations: Adam
S. Holdsworth aholdsworth@investorrelationsgroup.com or Media
Relations: Laura Colontrelle lcolontrelle@investorrelationsgroup.com |