StemCell Therapy

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

California Stem Cell, Inc. (CSC) announced today that well-known stem cell & regenerative medicine industry veteran Gregory A. Bonfiglio, J.D. has joined its Board of Directors.

Gregory Bonfiglio has over 25 years of experience working with technology companies, and was an early investor in the stem cell industry. He is Managing Partner of Proteus Venture Partners, an investment & advisory firm he founded in early 2006 to provide venture funding and strategic advisory services in the stem cell & regenerative medicine space. Mr. Bonfiglio is on the Boards of VistaGen Therapeutics and StemCyte, Inc.; he is the Chairman of the Board of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (RM Translation Center in Toronto, Canada). In addition, Mr. Bonfiglio sits on the Advisory Board and Finance Committee of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR); he is on the Commercialization Committee of the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT).

Mr. Bonfiglio brings to CSC an extensive background in strategic consulting, having held partnership positions with various legal and venture firms, and having successfully led a team that took pioneering stem cell company Advanced Cell Technology public in early 2005. Were thrilled to welcome to our board someone with the breadth of industry experience that Greg has, and are very much looking forward to his participation in the continued growth of this Company, said COO Chris Airriess.

This appointment coincides with a ramp up of commercial product sales as well as advancements of CSCs active Phase II clinical trial in metastatic melanoma.

About California Stem Cell

California Stem Cell Inc. (CSC) is an Irvine, CA based company which has developed proprietary methods to generate human stem cell lines, expand them to clinically and commercially useful numbers, and differentiate them at extremely high purity using fully-defined, proprietary media and GMP processes. CSC is able to supply its human cell populations to companies and institutions worldwide for use in the development of therapies, efficacy screening or the creation of toxicity profiles for candidate drugs, and experimental research tools.

CSC is focused on the development of stem cell based therapies for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrigs Disease), and metastatic cancers.

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Industry Consultant Gregory Bonfiglio Joins California Stem Cell Board of Directors

NEWTON, Mass., May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Parcell Laboratories, a leading adult stem cell company based in Newton, MA, was awarded the prestigious 2012 Innovation Award by the Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE). Parcell joins the select list of winning companies from the last 26 years whose innovations have delivered proven value to customers.

SBANE uses its highly competitive Innovation Awards program to showcase technology driven enterprises that are potentially "game changers" in their markets. Parcell's ELA stem cell technology is a platform technology that has unlimited applications for tissue regeneration and is positioned to change the face of regenerative medicine. "We are honored to have been recognized by SBANE for our accomplishments and to be included among the roster of extremely successful companies that have been previous winners of the award," said Pamela Layton, the CEO of Parcell Laboratories. "The award is a testament to the dedication and tenacity of our terrific team." Past award winners include some of the most recognizable names in New England business, including Staples, Genzyme, Ben & Jerry's and Nantucket Nectars.

Parcell Laboratories holds the license and intellectual property to the ELA stem cell, which is considered to be the earliest lineage adult stem cell in the adult body. The cell is able to differentiate into all tissues and has the added benefit of being immune privileged, allowing it to be implanted without the risk of rejection. Parcell's ELA cells are being used by surgeons nationwide to enhance bone regeneration in the aging spine. The product is marketed under the name of PureGen Osteoprogenitor Cell Allograft by Alphatec Spine of Carlsbad, CA. Parcell is also in the development phase of therapeutics using the ELA stem cell for disc and cartilage repair.

Press Contact Susan Kinslow Kinslow@parcelllabs.com +617-928-9803

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Parcell Laboratories Honored as 2012 SBANE Innovation Award Winner

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire -05/14/12)- VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC.BB: VSTA) (VSTA.OB), a biotechnology company applying stem cell technology for drug rescue, today issued the following letter to its stockholders and the investment community from its CEO, Shawn Singh.

To our valued Stockholders:

Since becoming a public company one year ago, we have progressed to perhaps the most exciting time in our company's 14-year history. To arrive at this point, more than $45 million, obtained through various strategic collaborations, investments and grant awards, has been carefully employed. We believe our pluripotent stem cell technology platform, Human Clinical Trials in a Test Tube, combined with the network of strategic relationships we have announced, will allow us to secure additional capital and the large market drug rescue opportunities that can deliver value to our stockholders.

Since the beginning of the year, our team has carefully reviewed our Top 10 drug rescue opportunities and narrowed our focus to our Top 5 candidates. Now we intend to launch our initial drug rescue program and secure strategic capital necessary to support it, as well as launch our second drug rescue program by year-end. We also are working on validation of LiverSafe 3D, our bioassay system for drug rescue involving liver toxicity and drug metabolism issues, for launch during the first half of next year.

The pharmaceutical industry continues to face extremely high barriers in bringing new medicine to market. The number of drugs approved by the FDA over the past decade has dropped precipitously, by over 50%, in spite of staggering increases in resources devoted to R&D by pharmaceutical companies. Based on the progress we have made with CardioSafe 3D and our efforts to build our strategic drug rescue ecosystem of collaborators, we believe our core business model -- to use our stem cell technology and strategic relationships to develop less toxic variants of drugs that have already been proven in vitro to be effective -- is now more commercially promising than at any other point in our history. We believe we will be able to help major pharmaceutical companies avoid the loss of years of time and millions of dollars spent in developing new therapies that have positive efficacy data, but must be discontinued due to later discovery of unsafe toxicity levels for human heart and liver tissue.

Over the past year, we have secured additional intellectual property protection and entered into strategic relationships with leading biotech firms and academic researchers to support development of our stem technology and our drug rescue-based commercialization initiatives:

Over the next 12 months, we have an ambitious agenda to work closely with our advisors and collaborators to secure capital and achieve these transformative milestones:

Our goals are reachable, with strategic financing. We believe we have the right technology, intellectual property, development teams and specialized focus to deliver on our founding mission -- "putting humans first" -- bringing clinically relevant human biology to the front end of the drug development process, long before standard animal and human testing, and using better cells to make better medicine.

We would like to thank our partners, advisors, employees and each of you, our loyal stockholders, for helping support us in our efforts to deliver long-term value for you.

Sincerely,

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VistaGen CEO Issues Update Letter to Stockholders

DENVER, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Regenerative Sciences, Inc., a company dedicated to advancing orthopedic care through non-surgical adult stem cell procedures, today announced that it has secured a $2M investment from philanthropist, visionary and businessman John C. Malone, PhD, chairman of Liberty Media Corporation. In addition to advancing Regenerative Sciences' clinical and lab-based stem cell research, the investment will help support the national expansion of their Regenexx Physician Network.

Regenerative Sciences' Regenexx procedures utilize a patient's own stem cells to help repair a broad range of common injuries and degenerative conditions, including cartilage lesions, torn ligaments and tendons, osteoarthritis and bulging spinal discs. For many, the procedures offer a viable alternative to arthroscopic surgery, open-joint surgery, or joint replacement surgery. Regenexx patients experience little or no downtime from the procedures and avoid the lengthy rehabilitation period associated with most surgical procedures.

"We are proud of our accomplishments in the field of regenerative interventional orthopedics and it's exciting that our work has drawn the attention of such a noted entrepreneur and philanthropist," said Christopher J. Centeno, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Regenerative Sciences. "Dr. Malone shares our vision for forging the next generation of minimally invasive regenerative treatments. This investment will not only bolster our existing stem cell research programs and make our procedures available in all regions of the U.S., but it will help us maintain a leadership role in clarifying the regulatory space for physician stem cell use."

Regenerative Sciences is at the forefront of regenerative orthopedic medicine within the United States and the company is bringing the future of orthopedic treatments to patient care today.

About Regenerative Sciences

Regenerative Sciences is an outgrowth of the Centeno-Schultz clinic, where we are reinventing orthopedic care for the 21st century using key biologics such as stem cells, next generation tools and devices, and unique therapeutic approaches. Our signature initiative, Interventional Orthopedics, allows doctors to treat orthopedic conditions through injection, rather than traditional invasive surgery. The Regenexx Physician Network brings together like-minded physicians from around the country to offer more patients access to our innovative procedures. For more information on Regenerative Sciences and Regenexx procedures, visit: http://www.regenexx.com

About John C. Malone, PhD

Dr. John C. Malone holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and economics from Yale University, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa and merit scholar. He also holds a master's degree in industrial management and a Ph.D. in operations research from Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Malone is Chairman of Liberty Media Corporation, a position he has held since 1990. Dr. Malone is also the Chairman of the Board of Liberty Global, Inc. (LGI), a position he has held since June, 2005. From 1996 to March 1999 when Tele-Communications, Inc. (TCI) merged with AT&T Corp., he was also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TCI. Previous to that, from 1973 to 1996, Dr. Malone served as President and CEO of TCI. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for CATO Institute, Expedia, Inc., Discovery Communications, Inc., and SiriusXM.

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Regenerative Sciences Receives $2M Investment for Orthopedic Stem Cell Initiatives

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lffnp7/stem_cell_research) has announced the addition of the "Stem Cell Research Products: Opportunities, Tools & Technologies 2012 (Updated)" report to their offering.

Stem cells are primitive cells found in all multi-cellular organisms that are characterized by self-renewal and the capacity to differentiate into any mature cell type. Several broad categories of stem cells exist, including embryonic stem cells, derived from blastocysts; fetal stem cells, obtained from aborted fetuses; adult stem cells, found in adult tissues; cord blood stem cells, isolated from umbilical tissue; dental stem cells, derived from deciduous teeth; cancer stem cells, which give rise to clonal populations of cells that form tumors or disperse in the body; and animal stem cells, derived from non-human sources.

In a developing embryo, stem cells can differentiate into all of the specialized embryonic tissues. In adult organisms, stem and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing specialized cells. Of interest to researchers is the potential for use of stem cells in regenerative medicine to treat conditions ranging from diabetes, to cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders. Additionally, the ability to use stem cells to improve drug target validation and toxicology screening is of intense interest to pharmaceutical companies. Stem cells are also being studied for their ability to improve both the understanding and treatment of birth disorders.

To facilitate research resulting from interest in these far-ranging applications, a large and growing stem cells research products market has emerged. Large companies selling stem cell research products include Life Technologies, BD Biosciences, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Millipore, although dozens of other suppliers exist as well. Products offered by these companies include: antibodies to stem cell antigens, bead-based stem cell separation systems, stem cell protein purification and analysis tools, tools for DNA and RNA-based characterization of stem cells, stem cell culture and media reagents, stem cell specific growth factors and cytokines, tools for stem cell gene regulation, a range of stem cell services, tools for in vivo and in vitro stem cell tracking, and stem cell lines.

This report explores current market conditions and provides guidance for companies interested in developing strategically positioned stem cell product lines.

Featured elements of this report include:

- What are novel stem cells research products that can be developed?

- What stem cells types are most frequently used by research scientists?

- Which species of stem cells do scientists prefer and what are the factors driving this preference (access, pricing, funding, handling advantages)?

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Research and Markets: Stem Cell Research Products: Opportunities, Tools & Technologies 2012 (Updated)

9 May 2012 Last updated at 14:14 ET By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News

It may be possible to use "stem cell shielding" to protect the body from the damaging effects of chemotherapy, early results from a US trial suggest.

Chemotherapy drugs try to kill rapidly dividing cancer cells, but they can also affect other healthy tissues such as bone marrow.

A study, in Science Translational Medicine, used genetically modified stem cells to protect the bone marrow.

Cancer Research UK said it was a "completely new approach".

The body constantly churns out new blood cells in the hollow spaces inside bone. However, bone marrow is incredibly susceptible to chemotherapy.

The treatment results in fewer white blood cells being produced, which increases the risk of infection, and fewer red blood cells, which leads to shortness of breath and tiredness.

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in Seattle, said these effects were "a major barrier" to using chemotherapy and often meant the treatment had to be stopped, delayed or reduced.

They have tried to protect the bone marrow in three patients with a type of brain cancer, glioblastoma.

One of the researchers, Dr Jennifer Adair, said: "This therapy is analogous to firing at both tumour cells and bone marrow cells, but giving the bone marrow cells protective shields while the tumour cells are unshielded."

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'Cell shield' for cancer patients

Dr. Julio C. Voltarelli, who made a significant impact in cell transplantation, dies at 63

Distinguished Brazilian professor pioneered bone marrow transplantation

Newswise Tampa, Fla. (May. 9th , 2012) Julio C. Voltarelli, MD, PhD, professor at the Ribeiro Preto School of Medicine at the University of So Paulo, Brazil, died March 21, 2012 at the age of 63. Dr. Voltarelli, who was on the editorial board of the Cell Transplantation journal, published by Cognizant Communication Corporation, and an important factor in the journals success, was a distinguished stem cell researcher and head of the bone marrow transplantation unit at the Ribeiro Preto School of Medicine.

Dr. Voltarelli had a significant impact on Brazilian stem cell transplantation science, said Dr. Maria C. O. Rodrigues, Dr. Voltarellis longtime colleague. He was driven to bring the benefits of the newest cellular therapies to those with ALS, MS and type 1 diabetes. His efforts and dedication will be greatly missed.

Dr. Voltarelli, a graduate of the Ribeiro Preto School of Medicine, served post-doctoral fellowships at the University of California San Francisco, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego. He returned to Brazil in 1992 and started a highly ranked bone marrow transplantation program at the Ribeiro Preto School of Medicine. In 2002, Dr. Voltarelli initiated the schools research efforts in stem cell transplantation for autoimmune diseases, later focusing on diabetes, graft-versus-host disease and sickle cell anemia.

At the time of his death, Dr. Voltarelli, in addition to serving as head of the bone marrow transplantation unit, also served as research coordinator for the Center for Cellular Therapy at the So Paulo Research Foundation and the National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cells and Cell Therapy. He was recently elected president of the Brazilian Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation.

His publications included the first books on stem cell transplantation and clinical immunology written in Portuguese. He also founded the Brazilian Society of Stem Cell Transplantation.

His colleagues in Brazil called his lifelong contributions priceless and remembered him for his leadership skills, vision, and sense of humor.

# The Coeditor-in-chiefs for CELL TRANSPLANTATION are at the Center for Neuropsychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, TaiChung, Taiwan, and the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Contact, Shinn-Zong Lin, MD, PhD at shinnzong@yahoo.com.tw or Camillo Ricordi, MD at ricordi@miami.edu or David Eve, PhD at celltransplantation@gmail.com #

News release by Florida Science Communications http://www.sciencescribe.net

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Julio C. Voltarelli, Pioneer in Cell Transplantation, Dies at 63

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Mass. Eye and Ear) has received institutional review board (IRB) approval to be a site for the companys Phase I/II clinical trial for dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD), using human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.

We are delighted to announce that Mass. Eye and Ear will participate as a site for our clinical trial for dry AMD, said Gary Rabin, ACTs chairman and CEO. Dr. Dean Eliott and his team are deeply committed to finding new treatments for preventing blindness, and we very much look forward to tapping into his expertise and insight into the progression of macular degenerative disorders. The primary teaching hospital for ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Mass. Eye and Ear is ranked as among the top ophthalmology hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report and has a reputation that is unrivaled.

The Phase I/II trial is a prospective, open-label study designed to determine the safety and tolerability of the hESC-derived RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation into patients with dry AMD. The trial will ultimately enroll 12 patients, with cohorts of three patients each in an ascending dosage format.

Dry AMD represents one of the largest unmet medical needs in ophthalmology, commented Dr. Dean Eliott, M.D. a full time retina surgeon, scientist and Associate Director of the Retina Service at Mass. Eye and Ear. We appreciate the opportunity to get some first-hand experience with the protocol and be involved with the international team that has been assembled around the U.S. and European trials.

Founded in 1824, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is an independent specialty hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School.

Further information about patient eligibility for the dry AMD study is available at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01344993.

About dry AMD Degenerative diseases of the retina are among the most common causes of untreatable blindness in the world. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over age 60 in the United States, and the vast majority of cases of AMD are of the dry form, which is currently untreatable.

About hESC-derived RPE Cells The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a highly specialized tissue located between the choroid and the neural retina. RPE cells support, protect and provide nutrition for the light-sensitive photoreceptors. Human embryonic stem cells differentiate into any cell type, including RPE cells, and have a similar expression of RPE-specific genes compared to human RPE cells and demonstrate the full transition from the hESC state.

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visit http://www.advancedcell.com.

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ACT Announces Massachusetts Eye and Ear as Additional Site for Clinical Trial for Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration ...

PHILADELPHIA HIV patients treated with genetically modified T cells remain healthy up to 11 years after initial therapy, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report in the new issue of Science Translational Medicine. The results provide a framework for the use of this type of gene therapy as a powerful weapon in the treatment of HIV, cancer, and a wide variety of other diseases.

"We have 43 patients and they are all healthy," says senior author Carl June, MD, a professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Penn Medicine. "And out of those, 41 patients show long term persistence of the modified T cells in their bodies."

Early gene therapy studies raised concern that gene transfer to cells via retroviruses might lead to leukemia in a substantial proportion of patients, due to mutations that may arise in genes when new DNA is inserted. The new long-term data, however, allay that concern in T cells, further buoying the hope generated by work June's team published in 2011 showing the eradication of tumors in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia using a similar strategy.

"If you have a safe way to modify cells in patients with HIV, you can potentially develop curative approaches," June says. "Patients now have to take medicine for their whole lives to keep their virus under control, but there are a number of gene therapy approaches that might be curative." A lifetime of anti-HIV drug therapy, by contrast, is expensive and can be accompanied by significant side effects.

They also note that the approach the Penn Medicine team studied may allow patients with cancers and other diseases to avoid the complications and mortality risks associated with more conventional treatments, since patients treated with the modified T cells did not require drugs to weaken their own immune systems in order for the modified cells to proliferate in their bodies after infusion, as is customary for cancer patients who receive stem cell transplants.

To demonstrate the long-term safety of genetically modified T cells, June and colleagues have followed HIV-positive patients who enrolled in three trials between 1998 and 2002. Each patient received one or more infusions of their own T cells that had been genetically modified in the laboratory using a retroviral vector. The vector encoded a chimeric antigen receptor that recognizes the HIV envelope protein and directs the modified T cell to kill any HIV-infected cells it encounters.

As is standard for any trial, the researchers carefully monitored patients for any serious adverse events immediately after infusion -- none of which were seen. Additionally, because of the earlier concerns about long-term side effects, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also asked the team to follow the patients for up to 15 years to ensure that the modified T cells were not causing blood cancers or other late effects. Therefore, each patient underwent an exam and provided blood samples during each of the subsequent years.

Now, with more than 500 years of combined patient safety data, June and colleagues are confident that the retroviral vector system is safe for modifying T cells. By contrast, June notes, the earlier, worrying side effects were seen when viral vectors were used to modify blood stem cells. The new results show that the target cell for gene modification plays an important role in long-term safety for patients treated. "T cells appear to be a safe haven for gene modification," June says.

The multi-year blood samples also show that the gene-modified T cell population persists in the patients' blood for more than a decade. In fact, models suggest that more than half of the T cells or their progeny are still alive 16 years after infusion, which means one treatment might be able to kill off HIV-infected cells for decades. The prolonged safety data means that it might be possible to test T cell-based gene therapy for the treatment of non-life threatening diseases, like arthritis.

"Until now, we've focused on cancer and HIV-infection, but these data provide a rationale for starting to focus on other disease types," June says. "What we have demonstrated in this study and recent studies is that gene transfer to T cells can endow these cells with enhanced and novel functions. We view this as a personalized medicine platform to target disease using a patient's own cells."

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Genetically Modified T Cell Therapy Shown to be Safe, Lasting in Decade-Long Penn Medicine Study of HIV Patients

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire -05/03/12)- Regen BioPharma (Regen), Inc. a newly-formed subsidiary of Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. (BMSN.PK - News) (BMSN.PK - News), unveiled today its operational plan for its "Super-Incubator" stem cell company.

Month 1-2: Assembly of Team. Regen intends to assemble a team of world-class leaders in the spheres of Technology, Intellectual Property assessment, valuation and Clinical development. Regen will seek to compile a team of Physician-Scientists with experience in the area of clinical trials for regenerative medicine/stem cell products, Regulatory experts who have successfully taken products through the FDA and corresponding agencies internationally, and Biotech Entrepreneurs who have track records of excellence in business formation and value optimization.

Month 1-4: In-licensing of Intellectual Property. The Company having already assessed over 20,000 issued patents and having compiled a shortlist of 30 targets; Regen will seek to execute licensing deals on an initial core of 3 technologies. Regen focuses on issued patents that have already passed preclinical studies but are not under clinical development.

Month 3-6: Interaction with Regulatory Agencies. Regen intends to develop data packages for each of the technologies and initiate interaction with Regulatory Agencies such as the FDA for initiation of trials.

Month 6-18: Clinical Implementation. Regen intends to launch clinical trials with world-leading institutions to obtain human safety data and "signal" of therapeutic efficacy.

Month 18-24: Exit. It is intended that technologies "incubated" by Regen will be spun off either as separate companies, or sold to Large Pharma companies seeking to enhance their therapeutic pipeline.

"At present there exists a wealth of intellectual property that is 'collecting dust' in the corridors of Academia. Given the field of regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy is so young, and the business models are fuzzy at best in terms of valuation, we see this space as a unique opportunity for acceleration of clinical development/value optimization," said Bio-Matrix Chairman & CEO David Koos about its Regen BioPharma. "Valuations for stem cell companies that have passed the threshold of clinical safety, with signals of efficacy are astronomical. The $1.8 billion Mesoblast-Cephalon deal, as well as recent financings of private companies with as little as 3 patient data such as Promethera ($31 million) or Allocure with 16 patients ($23 million), is testimony to the extremely high valuations that are characteristic of this space."

About Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc.:

Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. (BMSN.PK - News) is a biotechnology company focused on the development of regenerative medicine therapies and tools. The Company is specifically focused on human therapies that address unmet medical needs. Specifically, Bio-Matrix Scientific Group Inc. is looking to increase the quality of life through therapies involving stem cell treatments. These treatments are focused in areas relating to lung, heart, circulatory system and other internal organs.

Through Its wholly owned subsidiary, Regen BioPharma, it is the Company's goal to develop translational medicine platforms for the rapid commercialization of stem cell therapies. The Company is looking to use these translational medicine platforms to advance intellectual property licensed from entities, institutions and universities that show promise towards fulfilling the Company's goal of increased quality of life.

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Bio-Matrix Subsidiary "First in Class" Approach to Stem Cell Medicine

"See The Potential" program sponsored by Canada's Stem Cell Network and Pfizer

MONTRAL, May 2, 2012 /CNW/ - The first two postdoctoral research fellowships of a new program to promote stem cell research in Canada were announced today by the program's sponsors, Canada's Stem Cell Network and Pfizer.

"See The Potential" is a program established to encourage the work of promising young scientists in the field of stem cell and regenerative medicine research. Under the program, six postdoctoral fellowships will be funded from competitions over the next three years. Fellows will receive a grant of $50,000 per year for up to three years and will conduct two years of stem cell and regenerative medicine research at a recognized research laboratory in Canada as well as another year of research at the Pfizer Neusentis laboratories in the United Kingdom.

The 2011 fellowship recipients that have just been announced, following an internationally publicized competition, are Dr. Corinne Hoesli from Laval University in Qubec City and Dr. Reaz Vawda from University Health Network in Toronto. Dr. Hoesli proposes to conduct research related to engineering artificial blood vessels and is speaking today at the Till and McCulloch Meetings in Montral about the program and her research strategies. The research specialty of Dr. Vawda is comparative investigations on the therapeutic repair function of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury.

"We are very pleased to name these first recipients of the See The Potential postdoctoral fellowships in partnership with Pfizer Inc," said Dr. Verna Skanes, Chair of the Board of the Stem Cell Network. "This program is an exciting way to provide young researchers with the opportunity to develop their research efforts and their careers while building important collaborations for the future with other researchers connected to the Stem Cell Network and, internationally, through Pfizer network. This is exactly the type of collaboration with industry that is the hallmark of translational research and one that can provide benefits to all involved."

Half the program is funded by the Stem Cell Network and other half shared by Pfizer.

"This is an excellent initiative aligned with the Pfizer Neusentis' mission to develop innovative cell therapies to benefit patients through research and development, clinical and business innovation," said academic liaison, Dr. Tim Allsopp, Head of External Research for the Regenerative Medicine activities at Pfizer Neusentis Ltd. "We congratulate our winners and look forward to witnessing the results of their important research."

The second See The Potential fellowship competition is now open with an application deadline set for June 26, 2012. For more information on the competition please visit http://www.seethepotential.ca

Canada's Stem Cell Network The Stem Cell Network, established in 2001, brings together more than 100 leading scientists, clinicians, engineers, and ethicists from universities and hospitals across Canada. The Network supports cutting-edge projects that translate research discoveries into new and better treatments for millions of patients in Canada and around the world. Hosted by the University of Ottawa, the Stem Cell Network is one of Canada's Networks of Centres of Excellence funded through Industry Canada and its three granting councils. http://www.stemcellnetwork.ca

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First fellowships awarded in new Canadian stem cell and regenerative medicine research program

There could be a path to a simpler recovery after a heart attack. Duke University Medical Center scientists have discovered a way to turn the scar tissue that forms after cardiac arrest into healthy muscle tissue, which would make a stem cell transplant unnecessary.

To achieve this, researchers introduced microRNA to scar tissue cells in a living mouse. These hardened cells, called fibroblasts, develop as a result of a heart attack, and impede the organ's ability to pump blood. The microRNAs, which are molecules that govern the activity of several genes, were able to manipulate the fibroblasts to transform into cells that looked like cardiomyocytes, which comprise heart muscle.

The results of their study have been published in the journal Circulation Research. While further exploration is required, the find is promising for the millions of people in the U.S. that suffer from heart disease, the leading cause of death in this country. But it has application beyond that. If it works for the heart, theoretically it would help regenerate tissues in the brain, the kidneys, and other organs.

Now that this cell reversal technique has proven successful, researchers plan to test it with larger animals. If it works, they'll try it in humans, and hopefully have a practical application developed within the decade. [Science Dailyvia Reddit]

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Scientists Have Found a Way to Regenerate Muscle Tissue After a Heart Attack [Medicine]

ZUTPHEN, the Netherlands, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

In line with its continuous efforts to improve internal stem cell procedures, Cryo-Save proudly announces the appointment of the highly knowledgeable stem cell expert Dr. Marcin Jurga. Dr. Jurga will supervise new process validation at the Cryo-Save labs and study new processing techniques for umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and fat tissue, to ensure quality and use of the highest technology available on the market.

Marcin Jurga is specialized in adult stem cells biology, neuroscience and tissue engineering. His field of interest focuses on developing new methods for adult stem cell applications in in-vitro toxicology and regenerative medicine. Part of his validation study and internal research at Cryo-Save includes studies on fresh and frozen cells isolated from fat tissue and cord tissue, to explain the quality of these and their ability for extensive growth in vitro and multilineage differentiation.

"Cryo-Save is truly committed to the advancement of stem cell therapy. Storing stem cells is utterly important and our core business, but we are also committed to increasing the potential use of these stem cells and building the tools needed to tackle un-met medical needs with stem cells", said Arnoud Van Tulder, CEO of Cryo-Save.

Dr. Jurga is an experienced stem cell researcher with broad international experience; he was team leader and senior researcher at the Cell Therapy Research Institute in Lyon, France and previously completed a post doc at the Centre for Life, Newcastle University in the UK. He got Ph.D. degree in Poland, at the Mossakowski Medical Research Centre of Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. In May, Dr. Jurga is also planning to get a habilitation degree at Lyon 1 Claude-Bernard University in France. The habilitation thesis entitled: "Stem Cell Therapy and Neutral Tissue Engineering in Regeneration of Central Nervous System".

Cryo-Save, the leading international family stem cell bank, stores more than 200,000 samples from umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and adipose tissue. There are already many diseases treatable by the use of stem cells, and the number of treatments will only increase. Driven by its international business strategy, Cryo-Save is now represented in over 40 countries on four continents, with ultra-modern processing and storage facilities in the United States, Belgium, Germany, Dubai, India, South Africa and France (validation in progress).

Cryo-Save: http://www.cryo-save.com/group

Cryo-Save Group N.V.

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Cryo-Save Hires Stem Cell Expert in the Flagship Lab in Niel, Belgium

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BioTime, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BTX) announced today that Charles S. Irving, Ph.D., the CEO of BioTimes subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences, Ltd. will provide an update on the development of OpRegen at an investor meeting in New York City. In his presentation, Dr. Irving will describe the unmet medical needs and markets for the treatment of the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and the advantages of Cell Cures OpRegen which has been produced from human embryonic stem cells in culture conditions free of animal products, eliminating the need for designating the product as a xenotransplantation therapeutic. Dr. Irving will also discuss Cell Cures collaboration with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., under which Teva has the option to develop and commercialize both OpRegen and OpRegen-Plus. Dr. Irving will describe the nature of the ongoing preclinical studies which are expected to lead to regulatory filings for the initiation of human clinical trials in 2013. Dr. Irvings presentation will be available on BioTimes web site http://www.biotimeinc.com as well as Cell Cure Neurosciences web site at http://www.cellcureneurosciences.com.

Background.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in an aging population. It is widely believed that the loss or dysfunction of a particular type of cell called retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is the root cause of the disease. While therapies exist to treat what is called the wet form of macular degeneration exist, there are no therapies for the dry form. The transplantation of healthy RPE cells may provide a superior treatment for this devastating disorder. Cell Cures OpRegen is xeno-free, meaning that no animal products were used in the culture of the human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells. The use animal products to culture cells often results in the designation of the therapy as a xenotransplantation product, even though the cells themselves are of human origin. Xenotransplantation may raise purity issues, increasing the costs of product development along with other risks and uncertainties. The production of animal product-free OpRegen will therefore eliminate concerns of xenotransplantation and may provide cost savings in development and production should the product successfully complete clinical trials and be approved for human use.

About Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd.

Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. was established in 2005 as a subsidiary of ES Cell International Pte Ltd (ESI), now a subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (NYSE Amex:BTX). Cell Cure is located in Jerusalem, Israel on the campus of Hadassah University Hospital. Cell Cure's mission is to become a leading supplier of human cell-based therapies for the treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases. Its technology platform is based on the manufacture of diverse cell products sourced from clinical grade (GMP) human embryonic stem cells. Its current programs include developing cells for the treatment of macular degeneration, Parkinson's disease, and cells potentially useful in treating multiple sclerosis. Cell Cure's major shareholders include: BioTime Inc. (NYSE Amex:BTX), Hadasit BioHoldings Ltd. (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange:HDST) and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd (NASDAQ:TEVA). Additional information about Cell Cure can be found on the web at http://www.cellcureneurosciences.com.

About BioTime, Inc.

BioTime, headquartered in Alameda, California, is a biotechnology company focused on regenerative medicine and blood plasma volume expanders. Its broad platform of stem cell technologies is developed through subsidiaries focused on specific fields of applications. BioTime develops and markets research products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including a wide array of proprietary ACTCellerate cell lines, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime's wholly owned subsidiary ES Cell International Pte. Ltd. has produced clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell lines that were derived following principles of Good Manufacturing Practice and currently offers them for use in research. BioTime's therapeutic product development strategy is pursued through subsidiaries that focus on specific organ systems and related diseases for which there is a high unmet medical need. BioTime's majority owned subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences, Ltd. is developing therapeutic products derived from stem cells for the treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases. Cell Cure's minority shareholder Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has an option to clinically develop and commercialize Cell Cure's OpRegen retinal cell product for use in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. BioTime's subsidiary OrthoCyte Corporation is developing therapeutic applications of stem cells to treat orthopedic diseases and injuries. Another subsidiary, OncoCyte Corporation, focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of stem cell technology in cancer, including the diagnostic product PanC-DxTM currently being developed for the detection of cancer in blood samples, and therapeutic strategies using vascular progenitor cells engineered to destroy malignant tumors. ReCyte Therapeutics, Inc. is developing applications of BioTime's proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell technology to reverse the developmental aging of human cells to treat cardiovascular and blood cell diseases. BioTime's newest subsidiary, LifeMap Sciences, Inc., is developing an online database of the complex cell lineages arising from stem cells to guide basic research and to market BioTime's research products. In addition to its stem cell products, BioTime develops blood plasma volume expanders, blood replacement solutions for hypothermic (low-temperature) surgery, and technology for use in surgery, emergency trauma treatment and other applications. BioTime's lead product, Hextend, is a blood plasma volume expander manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by Hospira, Inc. and in South Korea by CJ CheilJedang Corp. under exclusive licensing agreements. Additional information about BioTime, ReCyte Therapeutics, Cell Cure, OrthoCyte, OncoCyte, BioTime Asia, LifeMap Sciences, and ESI can be found on the web at http://www.biotimeinc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development, and potential opportunities for BioTime and its subsidiaries, 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," "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, 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 business of BioTime and its subsidiaries, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in BioTime's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. BioTime disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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BioTime’s Subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences, Ltd. Provides Update on OpRegen® Product Development

TIJUANA, Mexico, April 23, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regenerative Medicine Institute, Mexico (RMI) will be among top scientists and physicians presenting cutting edge data at the International Society of Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). The ISSCR's annual meeting has become the world's premier stem cell research event. The meeting serves as the largest forum for stem cell and regenerative medicine professionals from around the world. The ISSCR 10th Annual Meeting will be held June 13 - 16, 2012 at the Pacifico Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan.

A summary of data on the use of adult stem cells from adipose tissue to treat heart failure and COPD will be presented by Kristin Comella, Chief Scientific Officer of Bioheart Inc. Bioheart is focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of autologous cell therapies for the treatment of chronic and acute heart damage and peripheral vascular disease. RMI is currently running Phase I/II trials at the Hospital Angeles in collaboration with Bioheart and the Ageless Regenerative Institute.

Dr. Javier Lopez, President and CEO of RMI and a member of ISSCR said that "We are proud to share our initial results with the scientific community at such a prestigious event."

For more information on RMI, visit http://www.regenerativemedicine.mx

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Regenerative Medicine Institute, Mexico Presents Summary of Clinical Data at the International Society of Stem Cell ...

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered a new stem cell in the adult brain. These cells can proliferate and form several different cell types -- most importantly, they can form new brain cells. Scientists hope to take advantage of the finding to develop methods to heal and repair disease and injury in the brain.

Analyzing brain tissue from biopsies, the researchers for the first time found stem cells located around small blood vessels in the brain. The cell's specific function is still unclear, but its plastic properties suggest great potential.

"A similar cell type has been identified in several other organs where it can promote regeneration of muscle, bone, cartilage and adipose tissue," said Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., Jay Van Andel Endowed Chair in Parkinson's Research at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), Head of the Neuronal Survival Unit at Lund University and senior author of the study.

In other organs, researchers have shown clear evidence that these types of cells contribute to repair and wound healing. Scientists suggest that the curative properties may also apply to the brain. The next step is to try to control and enhance stem cell self-healing properties with the aim of carrying out targeted therapies to a specific area of the brain.

"Our findings show that the cell capacity is much larger than we originally thought, and that these cells are very versatile," said Gesine Paul-Visse, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Lund University and the study's primary author. "Most interesting is their ability to form neuronal cells, but they can also be developed for other cell types. The results contribute to better understanding of how brain cell plasticity works and opens up new opportunities to exploit these very features."

The study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, is of interest to a broad spectrum of brain research. Future possible therapeutic targets range from neurodegenerative diseases to stroke.

"We hope that our findings may lead to a new and better understanding of the brain's own repair mechanisms," said Dr. Paul-Visse. "Ultimately the goal is to strengthen these mechanisms and develop new treatments that can repair the diseased brain."

Link to the study here:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0035577

About the Neuronal Survival Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University

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New Stem Cell Found in the Brain

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today the dosing of the third patient in its Phase I/II trial for dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) using retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The outpatient transplantation surgery was performed successfully, and the patient is recovering uneventfully.

Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT, commented, The completion of enrollment of the first cohort of patients in our dry AMD clinical trial is a significant step forward in our RPE clinical program. The first six patients in the U.S. trials have all been treated at UCLA, and as we have recently announced, the trials should soon expand to additional sites. As we have built our clinical team, we have been fortunate to have attracted the attention of some of the highest-caliber ophthalmologists and related institutions in the U.S. and Europe and recognize the huge value that their expertise provides us as we plan for the future of our therapeutic programs. With their guidance, we have also worked with the FDA to successfully expand the criteria of eligibility for patients to participate in our dry AMD trial.

The procedures at UCLA were all conducted by the team led by Steven Schwartz, M.D., Ahmanson Professor of Ophthalmology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and retina division chief at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute.

The six patients treated at UCLA to date have tolerated the surgical procedure well. commented Dr. Schwartz. There have been no complications in the procedure, nor any issues relating to the safety of the injected stem cell-derived RPE cells in any of the patients. We continue to regularly evaluate all patients in the trial, and while still preliminary, I am encouraged by the patients progress and the relative straightforwardness of the surgical procedure.

We are extremely pleased with the progress being made in all three of our clinical trials here in the U.S. and the U.K., commented Robert Lanza, M.D., ACTs chief scientific officer. The data we are reviewing seems to be pointing in the appropriate direction, With the treatment of the latest two dry AMD patients, we look forward to having more significant points of reference to understand the progress of the trial and consider the endpoint design for the next phase. Both Stargardts disease and dry AMD are progressive diseases that result vision loss and blindness due to the thinning of the layer of RPE cells in the patient's macula, the central portion of the retina responsible for central vision. We still have many patients left to treat during the course of these trials, but our team remains hopeful that stem cell-derived RPE cells may someday provide a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of many forms of macular degeneration. We hear from patients who suffer from these diseases on nearly a daily basis, and appreciate the huge responsibility we have to them.

ACT is conducting three clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe using hESC-derived RPE cells to treat forms of macular degeneration. Each trial will enroll a total of 12 patients, with cohorts of three patients each in an ascending dosage format. These trials are prospective, open-label studies, designed to determine the safety and tolerability of hESC-derived RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation into patients with dry-AMD or Stargardt's macular dystrophy (SMD) at 12 months, the studys primary endpoint. Preliminary results relating to both early safety and biological function for the first two patients in the United States, one SMD patient and one dry AMD patient, were recently reported in The Lancet. On January 20, 2012, the first SMD patient to be enrolled in the Companys U.K. clinical trial was treated at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. The final patient of the first cohort in the companys SMD trial in the U.S. was treated on February 13, 2012.

Further information about patient eligibility for the dry AMD study and the concurrent study on SMD is also available on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT01345006 , NCT01469832 and NCT01344993.

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visit http://www.advancedcell.com.

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ACT Announces Third Dry AMD Patient Treated in Clinical Trial

Photo by Allie Garza

Dr. Zannos Grekos, a cardiologist whose practice is in Bonita Springs, speaks with a seminar attendant after one of his educational seminars about stem cell treatment, using one's own stem cells, for treating heart disease and other medical conditions, on Monday, March 14, 2011, at the Collier County Library. Allie Garza/Staff

K.K.Yankopolus

In a case involving a criminal investigation into the recent death of a 77-year-old man after stem cell treatment, state health authorities say Dr. Zannos Grekos extracted tissue from the patient while a second doctor later injected the patient with his own concentrated stem cells.

But when Grekos, a Bonita Springs cardiologist, initially harvested fatty tissue from Richard Poling's stomach on March 2, he unknowingly damaged the patient's abdomen which led to bleeding, according to a state Department of Health complaint.

New documents obtained by the Daily News shed more light on the case of Grekos and Dr. Konstantine Yankopolus, a Fort Myers obstetrician who assisted Grekos. They face potential disciplinary action from the state Board of Medicine for doing a stem cell treatment that the state says was experimental and dangerous.

The state issued separate administrative complaints against them in late March and early April, a few weeks after Poling died the same day of the treatment. He suffered a cardiac arrest in Grekos' practice on Bonita Beach Road and was pronounced dead at NCH North Naples Hospital.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office launched a criminal investigation in early March and it is ongoing, agency spokesman Larry King said.

Grekos also faces potential discipline when the state restricted his license in February, 2011 in connection to the death of a 69-year-old woman who went to him in 2010 for stem cell therapy.

She sought a remedy for neurological damage after chemotherapy for breast cancer. She fell in her home after the treatment, suffered a brain injury and later was taken off life support.

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State: Grekos extracted tissue from stem cell patient who died, damaged patient's abdomen

Public release date: 17-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Eve celltransplantation@gmail.com Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Tampa, Fla. (April. 17, 2012) Combined, complimentary therapies have the ability to maximize the benefits of neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation for spinal cord repair in rat models, according to a study carried out by a team of Korean researchers who published in a recent issue of Cell Transplantation (20:9), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/.

"When transplanted, neural stem cells have demonstrated their therapeutic potential to reverse complex pathological processes following spinal cord injury," said study corresponding author Dr. Byung G. Kim of the Ajou University School of Medicine's Brain Disease Research Center and Department of Neurology, Republic of Korea. "However, many obstacles cannot be overcome by NSC transplant alone."

Their study demonstrated that a combination of treatment strategies - a polymer scaffold, neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and chondroitinase (an enzyme which helps digest the glial scar that formed after a spinal cord injury) - provided added therapeutic benefits to NSC transplantation. The implantation of a polymer scaffold designed to bridge lesion cavities, created a favorable tissue environment for nerve growth. Incorporating the NT3 gene into the transplanted cells improved cell survival and migration while the addition of chondroitinase positively affected neural activity between the scaffold and the spinal cord.

"The poly (-caprolactone) [PCL] scaffold in our study appeared to function like a reservoir supplying migratory NSCs to the spinal cord," said Dr. Kim. "The NSCs grafted with the scaffolds survived the transplantation and migrated to the host spinal cord."

The study included four animal groups, only one of which received the full combination of therapies. Rats in the full combination therapy group were found to have some restored neuroplasticity and enhanced remyelation of contralateral white matter. All four groups subsequently underwent functional testing for locomotor recovery.

"Rats in the full combination group attained well-coordinated plantar stepping accompanied by improved ankle positioning and toe clearance and reduced paw placement errors," explained Dr. Kim. "Furthermore, animals with the full complement of combination strategies responded to transcranial magnetic stimulation."

The researchers concluded that, given their success, similar treatment for humans should be carried out in a chronic injury setting.

"We believe that our results have important clinical implications regarding the future design of NSC-based therapeutic strategies for human victims of traumatic spinal cord injury," concluded Dr. Kim and co-authors.

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Neural stem cell transplants for spinal cord injury maximized by combined, complimentary therapies

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Inform Genomics, Inc., a private company focused on developing novel platforms of personalized medicine products for cancer supportive care and inflammatory diseases, today announced the completion of the first phase of product development to predict a patients risk of developing oral mucositis after receiving high dose chemotherapy prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The results of this single center, 153-patient study demonstrated the products ability to discriminate which patients develop oral mucositis with 99.3% accuracy and an area under the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve of 99.7%. Further development will include validation of these initial results in a multicenter study. In addition, Inform Genomics announced that it entered into a collaboration agreement with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi) to further develop and commercialize the product. Sobi is a leading integrated biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing innovative therapies and services to improve the health of rare disease patients and their families.

We are very pleased with the exciting results of this study, said Ed Rubenstein, M.D., President & CEO of Inform Genomics, and our agreement with Sobi demonstrates the value our technology can bring to biopharma partners while expanding the market opportunity for both companies products. When commercialized, this product will be available for the hematology oncology stem cell transplant market and will complement the target market of our lead product, OnPART for patients with solid tumors.

The principal investigator for the study, Stephen T. Sonis, D.M.D., D.M.Sc., Chief Scientific Officer of Biomodels, LLC, who also serves as the Chief of the Division of Oral Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Professor of Oral Medicine at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, will present the results of the study at the upcoming 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, as part of the educational session titled Mucosal Injury in Patients with Cancer: Targeting the Biology, taking place from 11:30 am to 12:45 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2012 in Chicago, IL.

About OnPART

OnPART, Oncology Preferences And Risk of Toxicity, will be Inform Genomics first platform molecular diagnostic test for personalizing treatment decisions for patients undergoing chemotherapy for colorectal, breast, lung or ovarian cancer. Based upon response rates and survival, more than one chemotherapy regimen may be considered appropriate care for patients with these common solid tumors, yet the regimens vary widely in their toxicity profiles, including nausea & vomiting, diarrhea, oral mucositis, cognitive dysfunction, fatigue and peripheral neuropathy. OnPART is being developed to assess genomic risk for these side effects, and to provide valuable information for patients and medical oncologists to help clarify clinical choices.

About Inform Genomics

Inform Genomics, Inc. is a private company focused on developing novel platforms of personalized medicine products for cancer supportive care and inflammatory diseases, including its lead product, OnPART, designed to predict an individuals risk of six common toxicities of commonly used chemotherapy regimens based on his or her individual genomic profile. The Companys business model leverages existing technology in conjunction with proprietary analytic methods for conducting genome-wide association studies. Product development programs will lead to commercial, single source laboratory tests consisting of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) clusters that determine the likelihood of individual patient clinical outcomes to drug therapies. The U.S. market opportunity for these differentiated products exceeds $2 billion annually. Inform Genomics is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit http://www.informgenomics.com.

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Inform Genomics Announces Results of Study Predicting Risk of Oral Mucositis in Patients Undergoing High Dose ...