HAIFA, Israel, Jan. 15, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:PSTI) (TASE:PLTR), a leading developer of placenta-derived cell therapies, announced today that the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute (PEI), the medical regulatory body for biological medicinal products for the Federal Republic of Germany, has approved the company’s request to initiate a Phase II study using PLX-PAD cells in patients suffering from Intermittent Claudication (IC). IC is a subset of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). According to The SAGE Group and HCUP 2007 Inpatient Data, the prevalence of IC in the United States is approximately 14 million patients, representing a cost of approximately $2.5 billion annually to the healthcare system.