Here's something that's really old. (1996?) But it sort of traces the history of Aastrom Biosciences.
PREPARED STATEMENT BY
MICHAEL KANTOR
SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE AND JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 9, 1996
Let me share just one of the many success stories that these ATP grants have made possible. In 1992,
Aastrom Biosciences of Ann Arbor, Michigan, had 15 employees and a vision that human blood cells
could be grown in an artificial environment. If this were possible, clinical research into many types of
diseases -- cancer, genetic blood diseases, AIDS -- would be greatly facilitated. But Aastrom Biosciences
needed to increase their capacity greatly, in order to make the blood cell production process feasible. With
the help of their ATP grant, Aastrom Biosciences has developed a prototype clinical process, and their
blood cell bioreactor has attracted $20 million in private investment funding, clearly making it a viable
commercial product. The company now employs 45 people.
End Of Statement by Secretary of Commerce Michael Kantor.
Well slowly, but surely, Aastrom's Replicell system is finally going to market. It will, hopefully, be an exciting company to follow over the next couple of years.
John
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