Presenting Companies: Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.
Core Business
Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI.OB) is an emerging company in the stem
cell therapy space, focused on developing breakthrough cell therapeutic
solutions for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Multiple
sclerosis and ultimately, Alzheimer’s disease.
Technology and Main Products Under Development
Most advanced product under development is NurOwnTM - bone marrow derived
neuron-like cells for autologous transplantation in Parkinson’s disease
patients.
World-renown research team led by Prof Eldad Melamed and Dr. Daniel Offen
developed the patent-pending core technology, exclusively licensed from Ramot at
Tel Aviv University Ltd. Achievements include (i) in vitro differentiation of
bone marrow stem cells into cells that, not only look like neurons and express
multiple neuron-specific markers, but also produce and release dopamine; and
(ii) long term survival of cells upon neural implantation in animal models; and
(iii) proof of efficacy in animal models of Parkinson’s. Present efforts are
directed towards the technology’s development from the lab to the clinic.
Uniqueness / Advantage over Existing Products
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive, highly debilitating motor
dysfunction and presents a greatly unmet medical need. Hallmarked by
degeneration of brain cells responsible for production of dopamine, it affects
as many as 1.5 million Americans, and is responsible for an annual economic
burden as high as $26 billion (NINDS estimates).
Current drug therapy is mainly based on dopamine replacement (example:
L-dopa). However, drug treatment has shown limited effect and duration, largely
due to unwanted side effects.
Cell therapy approaches for Parkinson’s disease, aimed at replacing the
damaged cells with healthy, dopamine producing neurons, hold great promise.
Previous work has shown that embryonic stem cells (ESC) may differentiate into
the relevant neurons; however, clinical development of ESC-based approaches are
limited by legal and ethical issues, as well as a tendency of these cells to
develop teratomas (a form of cancer). In contrast, NurOwnTM, once developed,
promise to have numerous advantages:
- Accessibility and easy maintenance of bone marrow cells
- No ethical controversy – bone marrow from consenting adult
- Safe track record of bone marrow transplants - in cancer patients
- No graft rejection or other immunological risk – autologous therapy with
patient’s own cells
- No known formation of teratomas
Management
1) Dr. Yaffa Beck, President & CEO
2) Yoram Drucker, COO
3) Dudy Stolick, CFO
4) Dr. Daniel Offen, Chief Scientist
5) Prof. Eldad Melamed, Chief Medical Advisor
Website
www.brainstorm-cell.com
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