The Impact Of Very Small Embryonic-like Stem Cells In Regenerative Medicine Is Highlighted By Five P

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22nd December 2009, 04:26am - Views: 838






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MEDIA RELEASE PR37665


The Impact of Very Small Embryonic-Like Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine is Highlighted by Five

Posters and Two Oral Presentations at the 2009 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting


NEW YORK, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --


    NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: NBS), which is a leading provider of pre-disease adult stem cell collection,

processing and long-term storage services, and holds the exclusive, worldwide license to VSEL(TM) technology

that uses very small embryonic-like stem cells isolated from peripheral blood, announced today that five posters

and two oral presentations at the prestigious American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in New

Orleans in early December demonstrated the basic cellular mechanisms of very small embryonic-like stem cells.


    Very small embryonic-like stem cells are a population of heterogeneous stem cells found in the bone marrow that

have properties similar to those of an embryonic stem cell and provide the promise of achieving the positive

benefits associated with embryonic stem cells without the ethical or moral dilemmas or certain of the potential

negative effects associated with embryonic stem cells. Important aspects of the basic understanding of why

very small embryonic-like stem cells appear to be effective in clinical situations were demonstrated by the multiple

presentations at the recent ASH meeting given by Dr. Mariusz Ratajczak's team of researchers from the Stem

Cell Institute at the James Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville. These reports, among other things,

addressed the epigenetic and genetic mechanisms that control and modify the functions of very small embryonic-

like stem cells; the role of growth factors in the regulation of proliferation of very small embryonic-like stem cells;

and the maintenance of very small embryonic-like stem cells in a quiescent state from the embryogenesis through

adulthood, when they contribute to the steady-state conditions of tissue rejuvenation and to the regeneration of

damaged organs during emergencies. It is anticipated that these seminal studies of the fundamental mechanisms

by which these stem cells play their pivotal role in tissue regeneration will significantly contribute to the efficiency

and efficacy of future clinical applications of very small embryonic-like stem cells.


    Clinical reports on very small embryonic-like stem cells published in peer-reviewed journals during 2009 include

those addressing:


    Retinal diseases: A potential application of very small embryonic-like stem cells for retinal diseases as described

by Dr. Anna Machalinska and colleagues from the Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland in a paper

published in September in the journal Current Eye Research.


    Cardiac Disease: The application of very small embryonic-like stem cells for cardiac disease as described by

Drs. Dawn Tiwari, Roberto Bolli and others from the Institute of Molecular Cardiology, University of Louisville

School of Medicine who published their findings in June in the journal Stem Cells on the ability of very small

embryonic-like stem cells to reduce the damage to the heart caused by acute myocardial infarction. In addition,

very small embryonic-like stem cells were shown to increase in the circulation of patients who have suffered an

acute myocardial infarction as published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in January by Dr.

Wojciech Wojakowski and colleagues from the Medical College of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. Very small embryonic-

like stem cells have been shown to be mobilized by the body in response to disease suggesting that these cells

have a central role in cardiac tissue repair.


    Cerebral Vascular Disease: The increase in circulating very small embryonic-like stem cells in patients following

a stroke was published in the journal Stroke in April by Edyta Paczkowska and her colleagues from the

Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. Further evidence of the importance of very small embryonic-like

stem cells in aging is provided by a paper from the Stem Cell Institute at the James Brown Cancer Center,

University of Louisville authored by the group led by Dr. Mariusz Ratajczak. This paper suggests that these cells

may decelerate the aging process through rejuvenation of adult tissue and was published in the journal

Mechanisms of Aging and Development, January-February issue. These two papers strongly support a role of very

small embryonic-like stem cells in tissue regeneration.


    Dr. Robin Smith, M.D., MBA, NeoStem's Chief Executive Officer, said, "The medical literature increasingly

supports the potential of very small embryonic-like stem cells as therapy in regenerative medicine. NeoStem will

Culture International NeoStem, Inc. 3 image

continue to support basic cell biology studies elucidating the unique properties of very small embryonic-like stem

cells and exploring the therapeutic use of VSEL(TM) technology for the treatment of a wide range of diseases and

conditions." Dr. Smith further added, "We believe that access to a continuous source of stem cells through our stem

cell collection and banking program will allow us to implement our own regenerative medicine applications on an

ongoing basis that could eventually result in a fundamental shift in the way healthcare is administered."


    About NeoStem, Inc.

    NeoStem is engaged in the business of developing stem cell-based therapies, pursuing anti-aging initiatives and

is developing a network of adult stem cell collection centers that are focused on enabling people to donate and

store their own (autologous) stem cells when they are young and healthy for their personal use in times of future

medical need. The Company is also the licensee of various stem cell technologies, including a worldwide exclusive

license to VSEL(TM) Technology which uses very small embryonic-like stem cells, shown to have several physical

characteristics that are generally found in embryonic stem cells, and is pursuing the licensing of other technologies



    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation

Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations, as of the date of this

press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Forward looking statements include statements herein

with respect to the potential use of very small embryonic-like for the treatment of disease and for regenerative

purposes, about which no assurances can be given. The Company's actual results could differ materially from

those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Factors that could cause future

results to materially differ from the recent results or those projected in forward-looking statements include the "Risk

Factors" described in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange

Commission on December 15, 2009 as well as periodic filings made with the Securities and Exchange

Commission. The Company's further development is highly dependent on future medical and research

developments and market acceptance, which is outside its control.


    CONTACT:

    NeoStem, Inc.

    Robin Smith, Chief Executive Officer

    T: +1-212-584-4180

    E: rsmith@neostem.com



    SOURCE:  NeoStem, Inc.


    CONTACT: Robin Smith, 

                       Chief Executive Officer, NeoStem, Inc.,

                       +1-212-584-4180,  

                       rsmith@neostem.com



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