In the United States, ALDECOUNT is an FDA cleared in vitro diagnostic use (IVD) product for the identification and enumeration of low side scatter, ALDHbr cells by flow cytometry. ALDHbr cells are stem and progenitor cells that express high levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), an intracellular enzyme. The product is cleared for use with fresh or frozen human peripheral blood, leukapheresis, umbilical cord blood or bone marrow and is formatted as a single use clinical assay.
The ALDECOUNT technology has been used as a marker for the viability of stem cells in thawed cell products used for bone marrow transplantation. It has also been used to enumerate mobilized stem cells in peripheral blood apheresis products and to monitor circulating endothelial progenitor cells in people with different risks of cardiovascular disease. ALDECOUNT is now being used to measure the dose of bone marrow ALDHbr cells that patients are receiving in clinical trials for chronic heart failure and critical limb ischemia.
"In addition to being used as an important product in our ongoing clinical trials, ALDECOUNT is a novel stem cell enumeration tool that can be used to measure how stem cell numbers respond to agents and procedures in clinical development and basic research," stated Ed Field, President & COO of Aldagen. "We look forward to working closely with StemCell Technologies to maximize the sales potential of ALDECOUNT worldwide. StemCell Technologies is a leader in providing innovative products to the stem cell market and has a reputation for excellent customer service and technical support."
Dr. Eric Atkinson, StemCell Technologies' Director of Corporate Development, added, "We are excited to be able to expand and deepen our distribution relationship with Aldagen through this new agreement for ALDECOUNT. StemCell Technologies has been Aldagen's distributor for their successful ALDEFLUOR product since 2003 and the addition of ALDECOUNT to our portfolio will allow us to continue to leverage our knowledgeable sales and marketing team, as well as our global distribution infrastructure, on Aldagen's behalf. Both products fit very well within our portfolio of products for the stem cell research and clinical community and we are delighted that Aldagen has reaffirmed their trust in StemCell Technologies as their exclusive distribution partner by adding ALDECOUNT to our relationship."
ALDECOUNT and ALDEFLUOR can be purchased from StemCell Technologies via email at info@stemcell.com.
About StemCell Technologies, Inc.
StemCell Technologies, Inc. is a life sciences company located in Vancouver, British Columbia. StemCell Technologies provides highly specialized cell culture media and cell separation products that support and enable medical research in areas such as cancer, hematology, immunology, cell transplantation, gene therapy, and developmental biology. For further information please contact Dr. Eric Atkinson, Director of Corporate Development at (604) 877-0713 or visit StemCell Technologies' website at www.stemcell.com.
About Aldagen, Inc.
Aldagen is a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company developing and commercializing products to treat vascular and degenerative diseases. The company's proprietary products can identify and isolate potent, highly effective adult stem and progenitor cells which can be quickly administered to regenerate or repair tissue. The company's lead product, ALDESORT®, is currently being tested at Texas Heart Institute and Duke University in three clinical studies for ischemic heart failure, critical limb ischemia and cord blood transplantation. To learn more about Aldagen's products for preparing optimal cell populations for adult stem and progenitor cell therapy, the Company invites you to visit its website at www.aldagen.com.
Contact: For more information, contact: Ed Field President and COO Aldagen 919-484-2571 Email Contact http://www.aldagen.com
Michelle Linn Linnden Communications 508-419-1555 Email Contact
Source: Aldagen, Inc.
