International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO),
www.intlstemcell.com,
today added two world-leading immunogeneticists to its scientific
advisory board. They and ISCO scientists will study the immune-matching
properties of ISCO's human parthenogenetic stem cell (hpSC) technology
and the potential for each hpSC-derived therapeutic cell to be an
immune-match for millions of people.
Dr. Hans-Dieter Volk, Professor of Immunology and Chair of the Institute
of Medical Immunology and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative
Therapies (BCRT) at Charité Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, and Dr.
Matthias von Herrath, Professor at the La Jolla Institute of Allergy and
Immunology at University of San Diego, have agreed to join ISCO's
scientific advisory board. Both have dedicated their careers to
experimental and clinical immunology and are highly regarded
immunogenetics experts internationally. They will be most valuable as
ISCO attempts to demonstrate the unique immune-matching benefits of the
hpSC technology experimentally and in clinical practice.
"We believe that providing human cells that can minimize rejection
though immune-matching to the recipient is one of the most important
tasks in developing effective regenerative medicine therapies," says Dr.
Simon Craw, Vice President at ISCO. "We look forward to Drs. Volk and
von Herrath helping us try to demonstrate how that need can be met with
our parthenogenetic stem cells."
Embryonic stem cells (hESC) almost invariably have different forms of
genes (called "alleles") at each genetic position of the paternal and
maternal chromosomes, i.e. they are "heterozygous." This includes
the human leukocyte antigen ("HLA") genes that are largely responsible
for the distinction between "self" and "foreign," and thus acceptance or
rejection of transplants. Since hESC are derived from fertilized
embryos, they carry the genes of a unique individual, thus the
therapeutic cells derived from hESC will carry HLA alleles that can be
recognized as foreign and be rejected by most patients unless they
receive immunosuppressive therapy. Such therapy is costly, has
significant side effects, and often is disabling in the long term.
Like most individuals in the population, induced pluripotent stem cells
("iPS" cells) and adult stem cells are also predominantly heterozygous
because they carry paternal and maternal chromosomes. They are a perfect
immune match to the patient they came from and are therefore typically
administered back to that same individual ("autologous therapy").
However, they would likely be rejected by most other recipients.
Autologous therapy is time-consuming and expensive, which goes against
the cost containment pressures globally. In addition, the quality of the
therapy is directly related to the ability to secure clinically
sufficient numbers of functional cells from the patient, which often
poses a significant problem in clinical practice.
In contrast, the hpSCs developed by ISCO are derived from unfertilized
eggs ("oocytes") that have been shown in peer-reviewed journals to
exhibit unlimited proliferation potential and are pluripotent (can
become cells from all three germ layers that form a human being). Most
significantly, hpSC can be created in a "homozygous" state, where the
alleles, including the HLA alleles, are the same at each genetic
position. When these HLA alleles are also found with a high frequency in
a population, these "HLA-homozygous" stem cells and their therapeutic
derivatives have the potential to be immune matched to millions of
people. For example, ISCO's first homozygous stem cell line with
high-frequency HLA alleles has the potential to be immune matched to an
estimated 75 million people worldwide.
Dr. Volk says: "Using my experience from transplantation immunology and
medicine during the past three decades, I am very pleased to help ISCO
in their efforts to make its hpSC technology a clinical reality where
therapeutic cell derivatives will be immune matches for millions of
people worldwide." Dr. von Herrath continues: "While stem cell
technologies generally offer great regenerative potential, most clinical
applications will be limited by immune rejection. I look much forward to
joining ISCO in their quest for making stem cell-derived therapy a
practical and attractive clinical option for many degenerative diseases."
Besides the immunogenetic developments, ISCO is advancing its hpSC
technology into the differentiation of hpSC into therapeutic cells and
tissues and into the establishment of processes and facilities to
produce clinical-grade cells. The company is seeking to demonstrate the
therapeutic potential of its hpSC technology as a safe, efficient, and
superior alternative to other sources of stem cells for human therapy.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL STEM CELL CORPORATION (ISCO.OB):
International Stem Cell Corporation is a California-based biotechnology
company focused on therapeutic and research products. ISCO's core
technology, parthenogenesis, results in creation of pluripotent
human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). hpSCs avoid ethical
issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos.
ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenic, homozygous stem
cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells with minimal
immune rejection after transplantation into hundreds of millions of
individuals of differing sexes, ages and racial groups. This offers the
potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell™, while
avoiding the ethical issue of using fertilized eggs. ISCO also produces
and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research
worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology. More
information is available at ISCO's website, www.internationalstemcell.com.
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements pertaining to anticipated technological developments and
therapeutic applications, and other opportunities for the company and
its subsidiary, along with other statements about the future
expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by
management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that
are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that
contain words such as "will," "should," "believes," "plans,"
"anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be considered to be
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements 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 and
ability to obtain future capital, application of capital resources among
competing uses, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual
results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these
forward-looking statements and as such 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. The company disclaims any
intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Key Words: Stem Cells, Biotechnology, Parthenogenesis
International Stem Cell Corporation
Kenneth C. Aldrich, Chairman
760-940-6383
kaldrich@intlstemcell.com
or
Brian
Lundstrom, President
760-640-6383
bl@intlstemcell.com |
