Stem Cell Research Basket
July 23, 2003
It has been a pleasure introducing our readers to stem cell research and some of the amazing developments in the industry. Today's edition focuses on the companies that we have included in our stem cell research basket. A big thank you goes out to the hundreds of readers who shared their views with us.
Without further delay the SmallCap MarketWatch presents our stem cell research basket.
Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM) is focused on human cell based therapies. The company intends to leverage its commercial cell replication and expansion technology to produce cell based therapeutics for tissue repair and regeneration, and for cell-mediated therapies associated with treating certain cancers and viruses.
The AastromReplicell Cell Production System is a proprietary system that provides nutrients to cells by mimicking the natural cell growth environment, and enabling human cells to grow while retaining high biological function. Aastrom is utilizing specialized cells produced by the system for the development of its own therapeutic products directed towards bone and cartilage repair and regeneration products.
Celgene Corp (CELG) is a $2.6 billion dollar company that is on pace to report $200 million in revenues for the year. This is an indirect play on stem cells because of Celgene's acquisition of Anthrogenesis for $45 Million in November of 2002. We received so many emails from our readers in regards to this deal that it warranted coverage.
Celgene will be able to provide stem cell transplant units sourced by Anthrogenesis as a therapeutic offering to oncologists treating hematological cancers. The company will also become a leader in the business of private stem cell banking -- collecting, processing and storing stem cells retrieved at the time of birth from the placenta and umbilical cord blood, for family use. Anthrogenesis is a licensed blood bank and a FDA-registered cell therapy company.
Geron Corporation (GERN) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapeutic and diagnostic products for applications in oncology and regenerative medicine, as well as research tools for drug discovery. The company's product development programs are based on three patented core technologies:
Telomerase is an enzyme that, when introduced into normal cells, is capable of restoring telomere length (the end of a chromosome), consequently increasing the life span of cells without altering their normal function or causing them to become cancerous.
Human embryonic stem cells enable the development of transplantation therapies by providing standard starting material for the manufacture of cells and tissues.
Nuclear transfer is used for the creation of cloned animals. Geron owns the technology that created Dolly the cloned sheep back in 1997.
This is the most controversial stem cell research company in the U.S. because of its support for embryonic stem cell research. Recently Geron received a lot of attention when the company's stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury was highlighted in several sources including newscientist.com and independent.co.uk. The articles focused on the results of oligodendreocytes, derived from human embryonic stems cells, which were transplanted into paralyzed rats. After 38 days, control mice remained paralyzed, where as treated mice were able to walk.
Pluristem Life Systems (PLRS) was founded after five years of cooperative research and development between Dr. Shai Meretzki, the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and the Weizmann Institute of Science. The company has developed a bioreactor, called PluriX, which will bring about the expansion of cord blood to proportions that will be enough for several adult transplants. The company hopes to provide cell expansion services to transplant centers and cord blood banks in the US and Europe.
The SmallCap MarketWatch issued a trading alert on Pluristem last week. Shares of the company closed at $1.85 per share up from $1.60 for a gain of 15.625%. Shares have since drifted down to close at $1.68 per share yesterday. Long term investors have a chance to own shares at a discount to the $1.80 per share private placement that was completed in June.
StemCells, Inc. (STEM) is engaged in research aimed at the development of therapies that would use stem and progenitor cells to treat, and possibly cure, human diseases and injuries such as Parkinson's disease, hepatitis, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, stroke and some metabolic genetic disorders. Progenitor cells are cells that have already developed from the stem cells, but can still produce one or more types of mature cells within an organ.
Dr. Irv Weissman, founder and director of the company is a professor of Cancer Biology, Pathology and Developmental Biology at Stanford University. His Stanford lab was the first to isolate in pure form any stem cell from any tissue in any species. This is why some consider him to be the father of stem cells.
StemCells, Inc is focused on three specific areas of research:
Neural cell program is investigating therapies to treat a variety of disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Epilepsy, ALS, Spinal Cord Injury and Multiple Sclerosis. The company has isolated human neural stem cells from brain tissue and has shown that these stem cells survive after implantation into animals, differentiating into cell types characteristic of the sites within the brain into which they are transplanted, including neurons.
Liver stem cell program seeks to repopulate and repair liver that has been damaged or destroyed as a result of disease or injury. The program is focused on the identification of stem cells that can restore liver function.
Pancreatic cell program is directed at isolating and characterizing pancreatic islet stem cells, which may be useful for treating Type I or juvenile-onset diabetes. Scientists at StemCells, Inc. are currently transplanting cells that express markers thought to be on pancreatic stem cells into diabetic mice to see whether this will alleviate their symptoms.
ThermoGenesis (KOOL) designs and manufactures medical devices and sterile single use disposables.
The company is best known for its BioArchive System which features a proprietary robotic, cryogenic device that automatically freezes, archives and manages an inventory of up to 3,626 individual 25 ml samples of cord blood. The system controls and records the freezing profile of each unit in nitrogen vapor, after which the unit is robotically transferred to a specified indexed location in liquid nitrogen. The BioArchive System tracks the storage address of each unit and assures that only the specified unit is retrieved when selected by the operator without exposing the other archived samples to detrimental transient warming events.
The National Institute of Health (NIH), through the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI), sponsored a $30 million program to advance cord blood stem cell banking in the U.S. and has chosen to exclusively utilize the three BioArchive disposable bag sets. Two of the three NHLBI Cord Blood Banks, Duke University and Georgetown University, have already acquired the BioArchive. The company has sold 48 BioArchive systems in 21 countries giving the company a strong customer base.
On June 12, 2003 ThermoGenesis scientific advisory board members presented clinical data on the use of cryopreserved cord blood stem cells in the treatment of lethal diseases at Senate Hearing. The Washington lobbying efforts may prove to be a tremendous break through for the company if legislation for the National Cord Blood Bank is approved.
Compilation
Some of our readers may have missed the editions dealing with stem cells. The following are links to the articles:
July 7, 2003: Stem Cells: The Future Of Medicine
July 11, 2003: The The Promise of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
July 14, 2003: Trading Alert: Pluristem (PLRS)
As always we look forward to hearing from our subscribers. Write us by sending an email to editor@smallcapmarketwatch.com.
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