Replies to post #51706 on Ocata Therapeutics Inc fka OCAT

[elysse1kittycat]

And once again for late arriving folks and potential new investors, I offer this in response:

"Now that we are at the halfway point in all three of our ongoing trials, we have had the opportunity to stop and assess not only the data relating to safety, but also to the activity of the transplanted RPE cells,” said Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO. “In our first report of hESC-derived cells transplanted into patients, published in the Lancet, we reported no adverse safety signals and that both patients that had been treated by that point showed some signs of visual improvements. For both of those patients, those gains in visual acuity have persisted for nearly 18 months now. In addition, we have observed persisting engraftment of the transplanted RPE cells in our more recent SMD and dry AMD patients. This is the first time we have shown this in dry AMD patients, which we find particularly encouraging, given that dry AMD represents one of the largest unmet medical needs in the world.”

“We are optimistic about the prospects of our RPE cells ultimately impacting positively on various forms of macular degeneration,” said Robert Lanza, M.D., ACT’s chief scientific officer. “As we have added additional clinical trial sites, the pace of patient treatments has picked up. At the same time, we are extending our observations to a greater number of patients, as well as collecting data over extended periods of time after the surgery.”

cowabunga

[Wopsal101]

It's very difficult to disagree with your logic. The problem is if you wait to invest until the company can generate revenue, you will have likely missed the most lucrative investment period. There are some things in the pipe line that offer substantial opportunity (Platelets, blood, RPE). Not to mention NIH approval of ACT stem cell lines. There are several opportunities for ACT. One of the opportunities that was available I am sure is the opportunity to partner in China. Given the track record of Chinese partnerships this would have been a bad choice. I congratulate whomever convinced Gary not to do this. Could it have provided upfront money, absolutely. Could you have lost your technology? Possibly. Without the ability to ship the cells to a Chinese partner, this would have been a death sentence. Was it a mistake to bring it up. Yes. No different then bringing up a partner for the platelet program. However I believe in the next six months we will begin to see some of these problems fixed. The question is what is the technology worth? Does it work? That's what this will really come down too.

[DavedS]

EPIC post-- hopefully you will repeat it someday so the "newbies" will be sufficiently informed.