MARLBOROUGH, Mass., April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Cell Technology (“ACT"; OTCBB:ACTC), a leader in the regenerative medicine space, announced today that its chief scientific officer, Robert Lanza, M.D., will be delivering a keynote lecture at the 3rd International Collaborative Symposium on Stem Cell Research, April 29-30, in Seoul, South Korea. Dr. Lanza’s presentation, “The First Human Embryonic Stem Cell Trials,” will be delivered on Friday, April 29, and will feature ACT’s two upcoming human clinical trials using human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to treat forms of macular degeneration, and related topics.
In recent months the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has, for the first time, granted clearance for clinical trials involving hESCs, including ACT’s Phase I/II multicenter studies using RPEs for the treatment of Stargardt’s disease (a leading cause of juvenile blindness) and Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Dry AMD), the most common form of macular degeneration in the world. As many as 30 million people in the US and Europe suffer from macular degeneration. There are currently no treatments available for either Stargardt’s disease or Dry AMD.
In addition to these two FDA-cleared clinical trials, Dr. Lanza will discuss several other early potential hESC- and iPS cell-based therapies that ACT and its joint venture - Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine International (SCMRI) - areresearching, including the use of hESC-derived cells for corneal repair, hemangioblasts for vascular restoration of organs and limbs, and functional platelets and “universal donor” red blood cells (RBCs) for human transfusion.
ACT’s preclinical studies found that the company’s hESC-derived RPE cells could restore vision in animal models of macular degeneration. In the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat model of macular degeneration, implantation of RPE cells resulted in 100% improvement in visual performance over untreated controls, without any adverse effects. The cells survived over time and resulted in sustained extensive photoreceptor rescue. Functional rescue was also achieved in a mouse model of Stargardt’s disease, with near-normal functional measurements recorded several months after treatment.
The Conference will also include sessions titled ‘Regulation,’, ‘Differentiation,’ ‘Reprogramming,’ ‘Cell-Based Therapies,’ Enabling Technologies,’ ‘Disease Models,’ and ‘Drug Discovery.’
The Conference is being hosted by Institute Pasteur Korea and CHA Stem Cell Institute. CHA Stem Cell Institute is a research unit of CHA Biotech, with which ACT is engaged in a joint venture, SCRMI.
More information on the conference may be found at http://www.chastemcell.com/2011/.
About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visit http://www.advancedcell.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this news release regarding future financial and operating results, future growth in research and development programs, potential applications of our technology, opportunities for the company and any other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words “will,” “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,” and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including: limited operating history, need for future capital, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, protection of our intellectual property, and economic conditions generally. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the company’s periodic reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions, and expectations of the company’s management at the time they are made, and the company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions, expectations, or other circumstances should change. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions, and expectations of the company’s management at the time they are made, and the company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions, expectations, or other circumstances should change. There can be no assurance that the Company’s clinical trials will be successful.
Contact:
Investors:
CEOcast, Inc., James Young, 212-732-4300
Press:
ACT Corporate Communications, Bill Douglass, 646-450-3615
or:
Russo Partners, Martina Schwarzkopf, Ph.D., 212-845-4292
SOURCE Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.
