Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Thanks brickbybrick, so it's around 30% dilution.
Current fully diluted share number: can someone please confirm it is around 550 million? Thanks!
New SeekingAlpha article on ABIO out today!
"Arca Biopharma Prepares For A Second Life"
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1649992-arca-biopharma-prepares-for-a-second-life?source=email_rt_article_readmore
InVivo Therapeutics Announces Warrant Exchange Offer with Intent to Up-List to a National Securities Exchange
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (April 8, 2013) – InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI) and other neurotrauma conditions, today announced that it has commenced an offer to exchange outstanding warrants issued in 2010 to purchase approximately 15.0 million common shares (“2010 warrants”) for new warrants. The 2010 warrants have exercise prices of $1.40 and $1.00 per share and expire in 2015. One of the primary reasons for the offering is to facilitate the Company’s plans to uplist its stock to a national securities exchange such as NASDAQ or NYSE MKT.
InVivo is offering new warrants with modified terms that extend the warrant expiration date for an additional two years in exchange for elimination of a provision in the 2010 warrants that provides anti-dilution protection if shares are sold at prices below the warrant exercise prices. The exchange offer will expire at 11:59 p.m. on May 6, 2013 unless extended.
The purpose of the exchange offer is to remove the weighted average anti-dilution provisions from the 2010 warrants so InVivo’s financial statements more closely reflect its operating results and financial condition and to facilitate a listing of the Company’s common stock on a national securities exchange. Under generally accepted accounting principles, the anti-dilution provisions require the 2010 warrants to be valued and classified as a warrant liability on the balance sheet, resulting in negative stockholders’ equity. In addition, InVivo is required to revalue the 2010 warrants quarterly and has recorded significant non-cash derivative losses and gains which are not reflective of its actual operating performance. Both the NYSE MKT and NASDAQ require as part of their initial listing standards that a company have a minimum of $4 million of stockholders’ equity, which InVivo would have exceeded at December 31, 2012 if the anti-dilution clause was removed from all 2010 warrants and the $14.6 million warrant liability was reclassified to stockholders’ equity.
“We believe that the warrant exchange offer is mutually beneficial for the 2010 warrant holders, InVivo and our shareholders,” said Frank Reynolds, InVivo’s Chief Executive Officer. “For the warrant holders, the two year extension represents a significant increase in the value of the warrant while the anti-dilution clause being relinquished is unlikely to come into play as InVivo has raised $23.0 million at over $2.00 per share, and the Company’s current $185 million market capitalization is significantly higher since becoming a public company in 2010. For InVivo and our shareholders, the warrant exchange would remove a key impediment to the up-listing of our stock to the NYSE MKT or NASDAQ, which we will believe would increase liquidity and unlock additional value inherent in our company.”
Additional information concerning the offer to exchange is available via a webcast posted on InVivo’s website, www.invivotherapeutics.com.
You are confusing warrant selling and warrant redemption by the company. And BTW it's 20 days, not 60.
"We may redeem certain of our outstanding warrants on 30 days’ notice at any time after the date on which the last reported sale price per share of our common stock as reported by the principal exchange or trading facility on which our common stock trades equals or exceeds $2.80 for twenty consecutive trading days."
InVivo Therapeutics Submits Updated IDE to FDA to Begin Spinal Cord Injury Human Study
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (February 28, 2013) – InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV), a developer of groundbreaking technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI) and other neurotrauma conditions, today announced the Company has submitted an updated Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting permission to begin human studies in order to test its biopolymer scaffolding for the treatment of acute SCI.
The updated IDE submission is in response to exchanges since InVivo’s April 12, 2012 meeting with the FDA. The filing contains additional information regarding the manufacturing and pre-clinical testing of the scaffolding device. Once approved, the IDE will allow InVivo to conduct an open-label human study to collect safety and efficacy data to support FDA approval of the first in-cord treatment for SCI. The Company is also working with the FDA in order to have the scaffolding device designated as a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD), a designation that InVivo expects will create a faster path to market.
“We are prepared to safely treat acute SCI patients, and in the coming months we hope to have the first opportunity to translate to humans the positive effect from the scaffold that we observed in our 2008, 2009, and 2011 non-human primate studies,” said Frank Reynolds, InVivo Chief Executive Officer. “Our technology remains the only treatment to have demonstrated functional recovery when applied to non-human primates with SCI, and this first study has the potential to change the treatment options for neurotrauma patients forever.
“We’ve all heard that ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and over a hundred people on the InVivo team have worked tirelessly since 2008 to bring this ‘ounce of prevention’ to patients. We intend to intervene shortly after injury to minimize the advancement of scarring and to provide functional recovery within weeks of treatment.” Continued Reynolds, “I want to thank our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Eric Woodard, and our Chief Technology Officer, Brian Hess, along with their teams, for their deep and never ending commitment to SCI patients. We look forward to receiving feedback from the FDA and to getting started on this historical first-in-man clinical trial.”
Said Brian Hess, InVivo Chief Technology Officer, “We appreciate the collaborative dialogue we have had with the FDA. Since our April 2012 meeting, we’ve established regulatory processes to treat neurotrauma with biomaterials, and we’ve completed knowledge transfer with the FDA that we believe will benefit all of our additional products in development. We expect to bring a wide range of neurotrauma treatments to patients as quickly as possible with the potential for two new 510(k) products to hit the market in late 2014. In addition to the scaffolding device for SCI, we are developing products for conditions such as pain, fibrosis, and drug delivery, and we continue to make excellent progress in these applications as well.”
Do bid and ask have any meaning with a total worth of $49.00 exchanged for the whole day?
7500 shares is not low volume, is inexistent volume. Total worth exchanged today 7500 shares * 0.005 = $37.50. This stock is laughable.
$worth of that AH trade: $23.00.
$worth of Friday trading day: $47.60.
This stock is hilarious. LOL
Here is why we are on the Pinks now
On February 15, 2011, below the radar of the financial community and with no publicity, they started dropping. First it was 48, then 4 on the following two days. Then on February 22, the floodgates opened and 569 companies were delisted from the OTC Bulletin Board and moved to the relatively new OTCQB, officially part of the OTC Market Group’s OTC Link quotation system. The reason given in each case? “Failure to comply with Rule 15c2-11.” What has changed so drastically in the past week, and why has it resulted in the sudden delisting of 622 OTCBB companies?
http://blog.redchip.com/index.php/stocks/otcbb-delistings-and-rule-15c2-11-what-happened
Blastomere patent approved!
All credits to capt_smith77 on the Yahoo and Google Private boards:
http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_(A_to_Z)/Stocks_A/threadview?m=tm&bn=44143&tid=264787&mid=264787&tof=1&frt=2
ACTC Google Private Board:
http://groups.google.com/group/advanced-cell-technology
Read this:
http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_(A_to_Z)/Stocks_I/threadview?m=tm&bn=73184&tid=3967&mid=3978&tof=3&rt=2&frt=2&off=1
Bottom line: Cox still believes in the company as he didn't want to disengage from Mauldin's marketing company, anyway he had to issue a 'sell' recommendation forced by his publisher's trading policy.
I think that tomorrow we will see further selling, as many Cox followers probably don't act real-time.
I have a buy order at 1.15.
It seems that Cox just 'regretfully' recommended a sell...
Nothing really new...
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/welwind-energy-international-corporate-progress-report-2010-09-29?reflink=MW_news_stmp
Welwind Energy International Corporate Progress Report
HONG KONG, Sep 29, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Welwind Energy International Corp. (http://www.welwind.com) /quotes/comstock/11k!wwei (WWEI 0.01, 0.00, -0.74%) (the "Company") is engaged in the research, development and construction of wind farms in China with additional projects under consideration in North America. Future renewable energy applications are also under review.
The following projects and businesses currently form Welwind's portfolio:
ZHANJIANG WIND FARM PROJECT
Development of the Zhanjiang wind farm is a key objective of the Company and the final stage of the permit procedure is in process. Zhanjiang is a 49 MW project expandable to 400 MW. Installation of a 750 KW test turbine was completed in May 2007. A Project Feasibility Study Report and Grid Connection Report were submitted to the Guangdong Power Grid Corporation for a Power Purchase Agreement ("PPA").
The Zhanjiang Government held a meeting on January 10, 2010 to discuss the relocation of the wind farm due to a new government steel project that would be located at the Company's site. Welwind was informed that the new government committee reached a consensus to relocate the Company's project to Nansan Island in Guangzhou in July of 2010. The company awaits final approvals and believes this will obtained third-fourth quarter 2010.
INNER MONGOLIA POWER PROJECT
On July 15, 2010, it was announced that the Company completed negotiations to acquire an 80% interest in Inner Mongolia Wind Turbine's 300 MW wind farm, with future expansion rights. Phase 1 is an existing 49.5 MW wind farm project with a 50 year renewable PPA issued in 2008 and has 6 test turbines erected. Potential capacity is 1000MW. Yearly Cash flow projections are as follows:
Year Pre-tax After-tax Cumulative
# $ $ $
------- ---------- ---------- -----------
1 7,465,159 7,465,159 -10,638,237
3 8,563,594 8,563,594 676,238
5 9,746,245 9,746,245 19,565,901
10 11,694,619 11,694,619 76,724,383
15 5,107,229 5,107,229 105,293,634
20 15,817,397 15,817,397 187,925,073
25 20,194,228 20,194,228 283,713,168
HONG KONG OFFICE OPENS -- INNER MONGOLIA FINANCING
On July 20, 2010 the Company successfully negotiated terms and conditions for financing of the Company's Inner Mongolia project. The financing is for $15.5 Million USD. It was also announced that to further the company's finance and expansion efforts the Company opened an Office in Hong Kong.
YATU INDUSTRIES INVESTMENT CO.
On September 13, 2010, the Company announced a formal investment cooperation agreement between Welwind and Yatu for an investment of $16.3 Million USD in the Zhanjiang project, along with a capital injection for the Mongolia and all other China based wind farm projects. The partnership will also include:
-- Co-develop wind farms in China
-- Acting agent in North America for Yatu's new multi-gen, single tower,
vertical axis wind turbine generator systems
-- Establish new turbine generator system assembly plant, for 50% share
CORPORATE PROFILE
Welwind Energy International Corporation is engaged in the research, development and construction of wind farms, primarily involving small scale wind power. The Company's projects focus is in the wind energy sector with future renewable energy applications under consideration. The Company will also work on extending its business plan into other markets, including Canada and the United States.
The Welwind Energy International Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3727
This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, risks set forth in documents filed by the company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, and whether made by, or on behalf of, the Company, are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany this news release.
This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com
SOURCE: Welwind Energy International Corporation
CONTACT: Welwind Energy International
Larry McNabb, President
1-866-677-2072
ld@welwind.com
International Stem Cell Corporation Moves International Cornea Development Program Forward
OCEANSIDE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO), www.intlstemcell.com, today announced significant progress on its international development strategy for stem cell-derived human corneal tissue. Such tissue can potentially be used to replace cadaver-derived corneas in treatment of severe corneal vision impairment and to eliminate the need to use live animals in safety testing of drugs, chemicals and consumer products.
During a recent trip to Asia and Europe, an ISCO senior management team identified and interacted with a group of integrated eye hospitals and ophthalmology research institutions with world-class laboratory facilities, along with potential sources of research funding. One of these is Sankara Nethralaya (www.sankaranethralaya.org), one of India’s leading not-for-profit clinical and research organizations dedicated to treatment of eye diseases.
Research during the past ten to fifteen years has demonstrated stem cell differentiation into a variety of human cell types. Rarely has it been possible to produce such integrated, functional human tissue, in this case, tissue that has characteristics compatible with human cornea in structure and function. This tissue technology may offer a first-in-class opportunity for high-quality, cost-efficient transplantation tissue for the 10 million people world-wide suffering from corneal vision impairment, particularly in Asia and Europe. It may also provide a much needed alternative to the use of live and extracted animal eyes in the $500+M market for safety testing of drugs, chemicals and consumer products.
During the coming months, ISCO expects to formalize relationships with a number of entities such as Sankara Nethralaya to provide ISCO’s cornea development program with the scientific, facility and financial resources needed to advance the technology as rapidly as possible to clinical application. The ultimate goal is not only to address the clear unmet medical and safety testing needs, but also to be among the first pluripotent stem cell applications to achieve widespread commercialization.
Dr. Sengamedu Srinivasa Badrinath, President and Chairman Emeritus of Sankara Nethralaya says: “At Sankara Nethralaya, we see 1,600 eye patients and do over 100 eye surgeries a day. We employ sixty scientists and clinicians dedicated to the development and application of new state-of-the-art ophthalmic technologies. My senior team at Sankara Nethralaya and I look forward to helping ISCO advance its cornea technology that has potential to significantly reduce the severe quantitative and qualitative limitations in corneal donor tissue across the world today.”
Brian Lundstrom, ISCO’s President, continues: “The addition of Sankara Nethralaya to our international collaborative network will contribute substantial scientific and clinical ophthalmology expertise and resources and complement the instrumentation alliance with The Automation Partnership and the safety testing collaboration with Absorptions Systems. The next step is to organize an experienced therapeutic development team to establish the optimal development path with relevant regulatory authorities and create data needed to advance ISCO’s stem cell-derived corneal tissue into clinical trials.”
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100525005568&newsLang=en
A Fascinating Story and Critical News about ISCO!
(P.S. This story is also available on ISCO Website.)
Dear Breakthrough Technology Reader,
Scientific knowledge is advancing so fast, I think there's no point trying to plan these weekly alerts even a week ahead. For several weeks, I've been saying that I was going to give you an overview on the economy in general. Last week, as you know, I put it off but did tell you to get ready for a buying opportunity caused by general market tumult, which I believed was inevitable.
As you know, within an hour of the mailing, the markets started down. You also know about the "mystery dip." I hope that you did as I recommended and made a list of stocks you would have bought when they were cheaper. In fact, we've seen a number of stocks in our portfolio dip into bargain territories for no rational reason. I want to spend some time talking about them now.
So, I'm going to delay giving you my macro view again. Not only do I have more pressing scientific news, but this last week was particularly busy – and incidentally relevant – for me. My wife, who spent years in ballet, underwent her second knee surgery. Ballet, incidentally, ranks alongside football as a hazardous physical activity. Regardless, I've been taking care of a lot more of the shopping, cooking and general childcare duties, so I'm running behind.
Her surgery, incidentally, was vastly superior to the same basic procedure, which she had done about 15 years ago. During the operation, while she was under anesthesia, blood was extracted. Blood stem cells were isolated and the rest of the extracted blood returned to her. When the surgery was completed, the concentrated platelets containing blood stem cells were injected into the area of the surgery.
This is, by the way, basically the same procedure that Hines Ward, the Pittsburgh Steeler MVP, had before last year's Super Bowl. At the time, he had to go to Korea to have the procedure done. It is much more widely available today.
There are a lot of misconceptions regarding this procedure, which was honed by veterinarians who have used it successfully on valuable racehorses for years. Blood stem cells do not actually become anything but blood cells. They can't become cartilage, for example. They do, however, produce growth factors. These messenger molecules seem to mobilize the production of healing agents and other stem cells appropriate to the area of the injury.
Sooner than most people think, we will be able to inject stem cells that will become cartilage and repair damaged joints. Until then, however, stem cell growth factor therapy is the state of the art. We wouldn't even have that if it were not the patient's own cells that are used. This has allowed doctors to escape the most onerous aspects of FDA regulation.
A number of companies in our portfolio are positioned to bring cartilage therapies to market. These will be cells programmed to become cartilage and other connective tissue. BioTime (BTIM: AMEX) CEO Dr. Michael West, who will be speaking at the Agora Financial conference in Vancouver, already knows how to do this programming. Another company with its own IP library covering cartilage stem cells, is International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO: OTCBB).
ISCO has just announced a major breakthrough validating their roadmap. I'd like to tell you about that great news now...
International Stem Cell Corporation Passes Critical Eye Tests
A real buying opportunity for investors who don't own ISCO has taken place due to this most recent market turn down. It may be that some investors were also spooked by the company's announced financing deal. While the details are actually extremely positive, it is simply the case that some traders will always interpret the issuance of additional stock as a bad thing.
In this case, it clearly was not. ISCO issued preferred stock, which cannot be converted to common stock. It cannot, therefore, dilute shareholders' equity. Moreover, the details of the deal, which are available on the Website, show that the company has locked in a current cost of debt but built in the possibility of reducing it in the future. Few companies are run as responsibly as ISCO and I have no concerns in that department.
The thing about ISCO that I think is over the heads of most analysts is that they own an entire stem cell platform that is equivalent to the sum of all other stem cell companies combined. While various companies share rights to embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, ISCO has the parthenogenic SC market to itself.
I believe that it will be possible to do almost anything with parthenogenic stem cells that you can do with any other stem cell. That includes rebuilding hearts, cardiovascular systems, cartilage, livers, eyes and so forth. This is true "rejuvenative" medicine with the power to radically increase healthy life spans, what Dr. Michael West calls "health span."
There are now two main tracks to true rejuvenative medicine. BioTime is the clear leader in the induced pluripotent stem cell space. ISCO is the parthenogenic equivalent. Both their potentials are so huge as to be practically incalculable.
We can, for example, calculate the market for cancer therapies. There is no way to calculate the value of increased health span. If people are willing to pay almost $100,000 for a few more months of non-healthy life, what will the market price for decades of healthy life be? That's what a new heart and vascular tree will deliver for most people. For that reason, I unabashedly consider BioTime and ISCO the two most important companies on the planet; even in history.
Certainly, they still have to prove themselves. For example, skeptics of the parthenogenic platform doubted that their retinal cells would graft naturally to normal retinas. ISCO proved that they do. Skeptics also pointed out quite accurately that these corneal tissues had not been proven to function the same as tissue from eSCs or ipSCs.
This is why ISCO's testing of the corneas is important. New tests have demonstrated several critical attributes of these parthenogenic cornea. Two sets of experiments conducted in collaboration with Absorption Systems proved that corneal tissue cultured by ISCO exhibits "topical drug absorption barrier properties and tissue-appropriate enzymatic activity, making it a promising model for studying human ocular drug absorption as an alternative to live animal testing."
In fact, we are talking about replacing Draize testing, the use of rabbits to test drugs, cosmetics, cleaning supplies and other substances for safety. It's difficult to overestimate the size of this market because it's basically impossible to tell how large it is right now. The reason is that nobody will talk about how many rabbits endure having chemicals inserted into their eyes. It's not good P.R.
Not only are animal activists aligned against the practice, the public at large really doesn't like it. No one wants to hear about this procedure. It's not, in fact, pleasant. Rabbits are bred and kept in captivity, then restrained in unpleasant bondage devices while irritating substances are inserted into their open eyes. You might remember that scene from Clockwork Orange. Regardless, though industry does try to minimize the test animal's discomfort, it is not pleasant to contemplate.
Until now, there's not been a practical alternative. ISCO's artificial human eyes, however, help clear the path to ending the use of millions of rabbits around the world for toxicity testing. This is a true transformational technology; better and cheaper. Artificial human cornea will provide more accurate tests of irritants. Moreover, ISCO's corneas cost a fraction of the total spent raising, keeping, feeding, and disposing of rabbits.
While no one would give me an estimate of the market size, I did find one indication. Europe's version of the FDA, the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), has stated publicly that it needs to spend about €270M and use 160,000 animals for eye testing just to catch up with the back-log of insufficiently tested agents.
With the validation that comes from this round of tests, ISCO is ready to move on to a final phase of validation. That should prove, once and for all, that ISCO has a more accurate, more humane and far less expensive alternative to the Draize test. Given the option of buying artificial corneas instead of live rabbits, I do not believe a company in the world would do otherwise.
ISCO has also announced a third party validation of the optical characteristics of their corneas. They now have evidence that corneas derived from parthenogenic stem cells bend light in the same manner as transplant corneas. This clears the path to exploiting the huge international need for corneas. In Asia alone, six million people are blind due to the lack of transplant corneas. North Americans can usually find a transplant, but ISCO's product will be cheaper when all the costs of acquiring transplants are considered. They will also be young, less subject to failure than an adult's cornea and grown in sterile lab conditions, guaranteeing their purity.
This market, like the Draize test market, is huge. I've also been hearing excellent things about the company's cosmeceutical development. ISCO's relentless methodical advance toward the marketing of stem cell products and true transformational status continues.
I'm so over my word limit. I'm going to cut this short now but I'll have much more for you next week. Who knows, I might even get around to some economic analysis.
For transformational profits,
Patrick Cox
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibraryView.asp?BzID=1468&ResLibraryID=38052&Category=958
International Stem Cell Corporation Begins Its Second Pre-Clinical Phase of Testing Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) Derived from Human Parthenogenetic Stem Cells for Treatment of Retinal Diseases
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100318005406&newsLang=en
March 18, 2010 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
OCEANSIDE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB: ISCO), www.internationalstemcell.com, announced today that ISCO's Research and Therapeutic Development Group, together with a group of scientists from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), is starting a second phase of essential pre-clinical experiments to test retinal pigment epithelium derived from parthenogenetic stem cells. Follow on pre-clinical experiments will be conducted to rescue vision in disease models.
“This research will enable us to then test the ability of these cells to restore vision in rodent models of retinal degeneration.”
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) has been derived from parthenogenetic stem cells by ISCO scientists in close collaboration with UCI scientists. The RPE cells will be tested for the presence of specific markers and for functional activity.
Retinal pigment epithelium plays a critical role in maintaining proper eye function. Loss of function or dysfunction of RPE is involved in a range of disabling eye conditions, particularly age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that is the major cause of vision loss in seniors.
Encouraging data from animal models have shown that visual degradation caused by AMD can be slowed through the transplantation of RPE. One of the major barriers for this therapy is the lack of sufficient RPE cells from suitable donated tissue.
According to Dr. Hans Keirstead, Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine, “The derivation of RPE from stem cells will allow the availability of an unlimited source of RPE for transplantation.” Referring to the upcoming work with ISCO, Dr. Keirstead said, “This research will enable us to then test the ability of these cells to restore vision in rodent models of retinal degeneration.”
Dr. Nikolay Turovets, ISCO’s Director of Research and Therapeutic Development, says, “RPE derived from human parthenogenetic stem cells can overcome the problem of immune-matching for transplantation since ISCO’s parthenogenetic stem cell lines can be made to carry the most common sets of immune genes found among various racial groups. That is why the differentiated derivatives from one hpSC line may be transplanted into millions of people.”
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 parthenogenetic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of immune-matched therapeutic cells to minimize 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.
To subscribe to receive ongoing corporate communications please click on the following link: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0.
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," "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.
International Stem Cell Corporation Files for Cornea Transplantation Patents
International Stem Cell Corporation filed for patents on a cell culture process for the synthesis of fully human, cornea-like structures using either its proprietary human parthenogenic stem cell (hpSC) technology or human embryonic stem cells.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR Log (Press Release) – Mar 01, 2010 – International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO.OB), announced that it has discovered and filed for patents on a cell culture process for the synthesis of fully human, cornea-like structures using either its proprietary human parthenogenic stem cell (hpSC) technology or human embryonic stem cells.
ISCO’s parthenogenic stem cell technology enables synthesis of corneal tissue that is immune matched for millions of people. This may significantly reduce the rejection rates of 15-30% experienced in current medical practice.
Brian Lundstrom, ISCO’s President, says, “Given the substantial unmet medical need for human corneas in Asia and Europe, ISCO has commenced a targeted effort to partner with clinical development and commercialization partners in these regions. We believe clinical development in this area is particularly attractive given the rapid and easily measurable outcomes of vision restoration, the availability of large patient pools and modest competition from alternative technologies, particularly such involving live corneas.”
Cornea-related loss or reduction of vision can be caused by physical injuries, infections and a range of degenerative diseases that affect up to 10 million people worldwide. ISCO’s corneal structure may fit into existing medical applications where the surgical techniques are well established. Cornea transplantation has been greatly refined and is now typically performed as a one-to-two hour outpatient procedure using donated corneas from human cadavers. While most operations previously involved the entire corneal structure, it is now common to selectively replace solely the damaged portion.
In the US 52,487 transplantations were performed in 2008. Although the supply of corneas in the US is adequate at this time, a shortage of corneal tissue has been a significant problem in much of the rest of the world. Only 3,000-4,000 procedures were performed annually in the UK and Germany due to limited cornea supply. In Asia, the shortage of corneas has been an even greater problem. For example, in Japan during a ten-year period only 16,000 transplantations were performed. China has had over 2 million patients on waiting lists yet only a few thousand procedures have been performed annually. Over 3 million Indians are reported to be blind due to corneal defects.
Dr. Radhika Tandon, Professor of Ophthalmology and Officer-in-charge at the National Eye Bank, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi says: “Corneal vision impairment is a large medical problem in India and other developing countries. India has access to less than 20,000 suitable corneas per year yet would need 200,000 corneas to take care of the existing backlog and the new cases added each year. Supply of synthetic human corneas would alleviate the problem and provide great socio-economic benefit by enabling millions of Indians to get back to work and live a more normal life.”
While a number of companies are exploring synthetic approaches of combining layers of epithelial cells with layers of stroma-like materials such as collagen, ISCO is the only company known currently that actually produces live human cornea tissue, without the risk of infectious diseases and with an opportunity for immune matching.
The cornea-like structures are grown to clear hollow spheres with a size of 8-10 mm in diameter and contain tissues and cells similar to those found in normal human corneal tissue. Portions or all of these structures may be suitable for cornea transplantation in humans. Permeability and ocular histology testing has demonstrated compatibility with natural corneas. Future steps include scale-up of the manufacturing process and IND-enabling studies, to be conducted domestically and through international collaborations.
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.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
Statements pertaining to anticipated future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development and potential joint venture 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,” “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.
Significant clinical-commercial opportunities
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100216005796&newsLang=en
International Stem Cell Corporation Provides Strategic Update on the Company’s Cornea Transplantation Program
OCEANSIDE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB: ISCO), www.intlstemcell.com, announced today that multiple international meetings taking place between ISCO’s executive management and researchers and clinicians from commercial entities in both Asia and Europe revealed significant clinical-commercial opportunities for the company’s stem cell-derived human cornea technology in those regions.
ISCO has discovered and filed for patents on a cell culture process for the synthesis of fully human, cornea-like structures using either its proprietary human parthenogenic stem cell (hpSC) technology or human embryonic stem cells. The structures are grown to clear hollow spheres with a size of 8-10 mm in diameter and contain tissues and cells similar to those found in normal human corneal tissue. Portions or all of these structures may be suitable for cornea transplantation in humans. Permeability and ocular histology testing has demonstrated compatibility with natural corneas. Future steps include scale-up of the manufacturing process and IND-enabling studies, to be conducted domestically and through international collaborations.
Cornea-related loss or reduction of vision can be caused by physical injuries, infections and a range of degenerative diseases that affect up to 10 million people worldwide. ISCO’s corneal structure may fit into existing medical applications where the surgical techniques are well established. Cornea transplantation has been refined greatly and is now typically performed as a one-two hour outpatient procedure using donated corneas from human cadavers. While most operations previously involved the entire corneal structure it is now common to selectively replace solely the damaged portion.
ISCO’s parthenogenic stem cell technology enables synthesis of corneal tissue that is immune matched for millions of people. This may significantly reduce the rejection rates of 15-30% experienced in current medical practice.
In the US 52,487 transplantations were performed in 2008. However, a shortage of corneal tissue has been a significant problem in much of the rest of the world. Only 3,000-4,000 procedures were performed annually in the UK and Germany due to limited cornea supply. In Asia, the shortage of corneas has been an even greater problem. For example, in Japan during a ten-year period only 16,000 transplantations were performed. China has had over 2 million patients on waiting lists yet only a few thousand procedures have been performed annually. Over 3 million Indians are reported to be blind due to corneal defects.
Dr Radhika Tandon, Professor of Ophthalmology and Officer-in-charge at the National Eye Bank, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi says: “Corneal vision impairment is a large medical problem in India and other developing countries. India has access to less than 20,000 suitable corneas per year yet would need 200,000 corneas to take care of the existing backlog and the new cases added each year. Supply of synthetic human corneas would alleviate the problem and provide great socio-economic benefit by enabling millions of Indians to get back to work and live a more normal life.”
Brian Lundstrom, ISCO’s President, says: “Given the substantial unmet medical need for human corneas in Asia and Europe, ISCO has commenced a targeted effort to partner with clinical development and commercialization partners in these regions. We believe clinical development in this area is particularly attractive given the rapid and hard end points of vision restoration, large available patient pools and modest competition from alternative technologies, particularly such involving live corneas.”
Significant clinical-commercial opportunities
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100216005796&newsLang=en
International Stem Cell Corporation Provides Strategic Update on the Company’s Cornea Transplantation Program
OCEANSIDE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB: ISCO), www.intlstemcell.com, announced today that multiple international meetings taking place between ISCO’s executive management and researchers and clinicians from commercial entities in both Asia and Europe revealed significant clinical-commercial opportunities for the company’s stem cell-derived human cornea technology in those regions.
ISCO has discovered and filed for patents on a cell culture process for the synthesis of fully human, cornea-like structures using either its proprietary human parthenogenic stem cell (hpSC) technology or human embryonic stem cells. The structures are grown to clear hollow spheres with a size of 8-10 mm in diameter and contain tissues and cells similar to those found in normal human corneal tissue. Portions or all of these structures may be suitable for cornea transplantation in humans. Permeability and ocular histology testing has demonstrated compatibility with natural corneas. Future steps include scale-up of the manufacturing process and IND-enabling studies, to be conducted domestically and through international collaborations.
Cornea-related loss or reduction of vision can be caused by physical injuries, infections and a range of degenerative diseases that affect up to 10 million people worldwide. ISCO’s corneal structure may fit into existing medical applications where the surgical techniques are well established. Cornea transplantation has been refined greatly and is now typically performed as a one-two hour outpatient procedure using donated corneas from human cadavers. While most operations previously involved the entire corneal structure it is now common to selectively replace solely the damaged portion.
ISCO’s parthenogenic stem cell technology enables synthesis of corneal tissue that is immune matched for millions of people. This may significantly reduce the rejection rates of 15-30% experienced in current medical practice.
In the US 52,487 transplantations were performed in 2008. However, a shortage of corneal tissue has been a significant problem in much of the rest of the world. Only 3,000-4,000 procedures were performed annually in the UK and Germany due to limited cornea supply. In Asia, the shortage of corneas has been an even greater problem. For example, in Japan during a ten-year period only 16,000 transplantations were performed. China has had over 2 million patients on waiting lists yet only a few thousand procedures have been performed annually. Over 3 million Indians are reported to be blind due to corneal defects.
Dr Radhika Tandon, Professor of Ophthalmology and Officer-in-charge at the National Eye Bank, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi says: “Corneal vision impairment is a large medical problem in India and other developing countries. India has access to less than 20,000 suitable corneas per year yet would need 200,000 corneas to take care of the existing backlog and the new cases added each year. Supply of synthetic human corneas would alleviate the problem and provide great socio-economic benefit by enabling millions of Indians to get back to work and live a more normal life.”
Brian Lundstrom, ISCO’s President, says: “Given the substantial unmet medical need for human corneas in Asia and Europe, ISCO has commenced a targeted effort to partner with clinical development and commercialization partners in these regions. We believe clinical development in this area is particularly attractive given the rapid and hard end points of vision restoration, large available patient pools and modest competition from alternative technologies, particularly such involving live corneas.”
No update, unfortunately. The phrase "The trial, which will be open for enrollment in the next few months..." was there on feb 18, 2008 already.
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.advancedcell.com/myoblast-program/
I'm optimist, we could have good news from NIH in the upcoming weeks/months.
New 'Investment Ideas' report on ACTC
http://whatsup-stockideas.blogspot.com/2010/01/stem-cells-hello-actc.html
The RPE IND approval is going to be an easy breeze for ACTC considering the amount of pre-clinical test and ACTC standing in stem cell field..you can expect some real great upside as the stock is discovered by mainstream investors (the last to get in on the bandwagon!!)
6 Companies Ready to Change the World and Deliver Your Unending Wealth in 2010. Among them GERN, BTIM, ISCO. ACTC and ACTCellerate technology cited in article.
http://breakthroughtechnologyalert.agorafinancial.com/2009/12/30/6-companies-ready-to-change-the-world-and-deliver-your-unending-wealth-in-2010/
6 Companies Ready to Change the World and Deliver Your Unending Wealth in 2010
Almost below the radar, ISCO has taken a fundamentally different path to solving immune system problems. ISCO has a uniquely powerful IP library, an impressive pipeline and partnerships with other important SC companies.
http://breakthroughtechnologyalert.agorafinancial.com/2009/12/30/6-companies-ready-to-change-the-world-and-deliver-your-unending-wealth-in-2010/
Medical Advances That Soon May Help Your Family
The Weekly Challenger
Originally posted 12/30/2009
(StatePoint) With all the debate over healthcare reform, focus has been placed squarely on the quality of medical treatment our families receive. Fortunately, the world has recently seen a series of innovations that could help people much faster than expected.
As the hospital and laboratory converge, families could soon benefit from an array of important advancements. One of the fastest-developing areas in the medical field has been in the area of genetics. Whether it be mapping the human genome or the debate over stem cells, scientists have found a variety of technologies that could potentially help cure, and in some cases avoid entirely, an array of diseases.
“If stem cells could be made to grow into tissues and organs, waiting lists for transplant recipients would become things of the past. That is still in the future, but already stem cell therapy to heal diseased organs is being tested in human trials and the prospects look bright,” says Kenneth C. Aldrich, Chairman and CEO of International Stem Cell Corporation, a biotechnology company whose proprietary stem cell lines can potentially be used to treat any disease that can be treated with human cells, without the need to destroy human embryos or use immune suppressing drugs.
Diseases currently targeted by such cutting edge technology and research include diabetes, liver disease, and macular degeneration.
Aside from scientific research, new technologies also could provide imminent help to a family’s overall health. With roughly 14 million Americans living with asthma, the health industry has seen a variety of new high-tech treatments, including a unique sensor developed at the University of Pittsburgh that can track oncoming asthma attacks. Considering these attacks account for roughly a quarter of emergency-room visits in the United States, these technologies could be a healthcare lifesaver.
Meanwhile, for the 15 million American adults suffering from kidney disease, long trips to the hospital for lengthy dialysis sessions cut into moments that could be spent with family. But thanks to a revolutionary portable dialysis machine that cleans blood using a battery, that may no longer be a problem. And in a surprising shift that could forever alter the health of adults and children, a useful piece of health-related equipment may already be sitting in your living room.
While Nintendo probably never intended for the popular “Wii” video game console to contribute to family health, it has organically gone in that direction. With a series of sports games like “Wii Fit” and the console’s motion-sensing remote, children, adults and the elderly are finding home workout alternatives that are fun and can track their progress. Who would have thought a child playing video games with grandpa could contribute to a family’s long-term health?
With healthcare becoming an increasingly important aspect of family life, these and other advancements could help the average family in a number of ways.
http://www.theweeklychallenger.com/News/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=100697&sID=13&ItemSource=L
Just FYI, using the link posted by Rocky (BTW, thanks Rocky for your comments, always helpful and informative!):
www.advancedcell.com/file_download/154
You can simply change the final number and find a lot of other PDF documents, apparently in chronological order. There are still some presentations held by West. The most recent file I have been able to find is # 283 (Sept 09).
Hope this helps!
If you can't afford to lose the money you are investing, simply steer clear from the stock market.
If the FDA should put on hold the stock will stay more or less the same, cause it didn't pop that much on the IND announcement. JMHO
.10 is +17%, not so bad at all!
International Stem Cell Corporation Announces Launch Strategy for Skin Care Product Line
Lifeline Skin Care, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO), www.internationalstemcell.com, announced today that it has retained the services of a highly experienced expert in the skin care industry, Raulee Marcus, to help design a marketing program for its newly created line of skin care products based on ISCO's proprietary Parthenogenic Stem Cells.
Ms. Marcus has an extensive background in skin care products, having been a key corporate executive with responsibilities for marketing, R&D and sales at companies such as Neutrogena, Colgate-Palmolive and Gillette, increasing sales at those companies by many millions of dollars. She has also had a highly successful career in building revenues and profits for smaller companies such as Obagi Medical Products, a physician-mediated company, and has extensive experience in launching new brands and products through many different channels.
"Ms. Marcus is uniquely qualified to help us develop a product strategy that will have maximum market impact for what is truly a unique technology," said Dr. Ruslan Semechkine, President of Lifeline Skin Care.
"Ms. Marcus' experience in the skin care industry and as a consultant to companies in that industry will greatly enhance our ability to develop a successful marketing and business strategy without distracting from our core focus on developing therapeutic products from Parthenogenic Stem Cells," said Kenneth Aldrich, Chairman of ISCO.
"Early indications are that the skin care product, developed through the efforts of the ISCO scientists who created Parthenogenic Stem Cells, has unique characteristics for skin rejuvenation. Our next step is to validate these findings through independent testing and execute our product launch," said Dr. Semechkine.
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.