Lineage Cell Therapeutics Inc (LCTX)

[DeepDive]

More data, video, coming from ageX, Biotime, $BTX:

As you will recall AgeX is the new Subsidiary chosen to promote new therapies relating to Aging as a medical condition. Among the target are the preclinical development of Brown Fat Progenitor cells which are the reason why when we are young we can eat so much and not gain weight – they increase metabolism and burn energy (even without the exercise), as we grow old, we lose brown fat tissue and therefore are more inclined to gain fat just from looking at too many carbohydrates…

More about AgeX: lecture by Dr. West from July 2017. https://vimeo.com/224802223
My notes from the Video:
- “we are now in a position of succeeding, … , in demonstrating to investors, in rigorous ways that many of these technologies (to resolve aging as a medical condition) are at these point (possible to generate profitability).”
- Tidal wave of baby boomers causing demand + power of medical tech to address complex problems such as aging generate the ‘perfect storm’, opportunity to build significant value to shareholders by attacking the core biology of aging ITSELF, not just ‘a new pill for stroke’.
- This is a very early stage – there will be challenges and failures, but 10, 15 years from now, these technologies will change the world. Make no mistake, Agex is a long term play (which all investors should know and appreciate).
- Biotime’s pluripotent stem cell platform (PureStem) is a key element of the therapies that will be developed.
- The best payoff targets (in the context of Aging) out of 200 choices are:
o Brown Adipocytes (brown fat cells): Agex-BAT1 – can correct imbalance of metabolism in aging (weight gain) and metabolism of glucose – metabolic disorders. Insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetics.
o Coronary disease, heart disease. Blood plumbing problem is no. 1 killer. At embrio stage an embrio has vascular progenitors that simply flow to the heart and build the plumbing. BTX has identified them and patented them. AGEX – VASC1 Vascular aging is a big problem. Many ways heart fails and these can resolve them.
o Top secret program for some time, BTX's 'SkunkWorks' project: ITR (induced tissue regeneration): instead of scar tissue, straight regeneration of tissue (rebuilding tissue afresh). Patents filed on key aspects. Pan Organ concept. Solve fibrosis (major problems).
- To treat Aging will take a different business approach than other BioTech development course: Aging will require several approaches and will dictate a lot of cooperation - therefore perhaps different kind of competition with better chances of success (less direct competition and more cooperation form of development).
The mission of AgeX is to apply technology related to pluripotent stem cells and telomere biology to aging and age-related disease. AgeX is expected to have three initial areas of focus: 1) the development of pluripotent stem cell-derived brown adipocytes for the treatment of Type II diabetes and potentially obesity; 2) the development of vascular progenitors to improve circulation to ischemic tissues in patients suffering from heart disease; and 3) Induced Tissue Regeneration (iTR)TM - an emerging technology invented and patented by BioTime scientists that is designed to profoundly reprogram aged tissues in the body in a way that can restore a regenerative phenotype normally expressed only in the first few weeks of human development.

Link: https://goo.gl/LgbP83

These technologies were presented by Dr. Michael West in the following lecture “The Future of Human Aging” - video:

What is very exciting about AgeX is that all these new therapies can be now funded in a manner that better to BioTime and investors: a. Investors can fund these therapies directly (rather through BTX), b. BTX holding itself will be diluted somewhat in these undertakings, but Investors in BTX will not be diluted regarding the Assets held directly, c. PreClinical progress can continue while the short term assets can be further developed.
Managerial attention can remain focused on the very long term and the very short terms, and executives can push to attain the medium term business objectives.

PR Snip:
World-Renowned Aging Researcher and Biomedical Gerontologist to Lead AgeX's Research
ALAMEDA, Calif. & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 13, 2017-- AgeX Therapeutics ("AgeX"), a subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (NYSE MKT:BTX) with a focus on developing new therapies in the field of biomedical gerontology, today announced the appointment of distinguished researcher and advocate Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D. as Vice-President of New Technology Discovery.
"One of the world's foremost researchers in the science of aging, and a tireless advocate for such research, Aubrey will be a strong addition to AgeX as the Company is positioned to emerge as a leader in the field of biomedical gerontology," commented Michael D. West, Ph.D., co-CEO of BioTime. "He has already moved the field forward to a considerable degree and will help accelerate our research and development programs."
A biomedical gerontologist, Dr. de Grey is Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of SENS Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to researching, developing and promoting comprehensive regenerative medicine solutions for the diseases of aging. He will continue in his current capacity at SENS Research and his role at AgeX will be part-time. He is also editor-in-chief of the bimonthly academic journal Rejuvenation Research, from Mary Ann Liebert publishers. He has authored the books Ending Aging: The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime (co-author, 2008, St. Martin's Griffin) and The Mitochondrial Free Radical Theory of Aging (1999, R.J Landes) as well as numerous articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and the American Aging Association, and sits on the editorial and scientific advisory boards of many journals and organizations. He has been interviewed by a variety of top-tier media outlets, including CBS' "60 Minutes," the New York Times, FORTUNE, the Washington Post, TIME, and "The Colbert Report," among many others. He received his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, in Cambridge, England.
"The opportunity to help Mike West shape AgeX is a huge next step in my vision of how to hasten the defeat of aging," said Dr. de Grey. "In creating a rejuvenation biotechnology industry, it is critically important to engage new companies and investors in this work. I am delighted to be involved in the work of a private company like AgeX to make this happen."
"Attracting Dr. de Grey to AgeX represents a significant milestone in the company's development and further enhances AgeX's emerging leadership," stated Adi Mohanty, co-CEO of BioTime. "Additionally, Dr. de Grey's appointment allows BioTime to better focus on its three core segments of ophthalmology, aesthetics and cell and drug delivery."