Business & Finance
Wed, January 28, 2009Tue, January 27, 2009Mon, January 26, 2009Sat, January 24, 2009Fri, January 23, 2009Thu, January 22, 2009Wed, January 21, 2009Tue, January 20, 2009Advanced Cell Provides Corporate Update
Published in Business and Finance on Friday, January 23rd 2009 at 8:31 GMT, Last Modified on 2009-01-23 08:33:01 by Market Wire
WORCESTER, Mass.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. ("ACT") (OTC: [ ACTC ]) provided a corporate update today. The Company announced that it has accelerated its efforts to file an IND for its retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells program for the treatment of diseases of the eye in light of today's decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant clearance for a stem cell company to begin trials for the world's first study of a human embryonic stem cell-based therapy for people. The Company is close to securing the necessary funding which would allow it to make the requisite filings during the summer of this year. An IND filing is required in order to commence clinical trials in humans.
"We believe the recent administration change has increased funding opportunities for technologies such as ours," said William M. Caldwell, CEO and Chairman of ACTC. "Today's decision to allow the world's first study of a human embryonic stem cell-based therapy for people perhaps reflects a new view towards stem cell-based therapies on the part of the FDA and government."
Advanced Cell Technology is currently focused on using its proprietary technologies to generate stable cell lines including retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells for the treatment of diseases of the eye, including macular degeneration, which represents a $28 billion dollar market. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects more than 30 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of blindness in people over 60 years of age in the United States. AMD is a disorder that affects the macula of the eye that causes decreased visual acuity and possible loss of central vision. The prevalence of AMD begins to increase after the age of 50. Approximately 15% of people over 75 years of age have the condition.
ACT demonstrated the ability to rescue visual function in rats through implantations of RPE cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. In collaboration with Raymond Lund then at the Moran Eye Institute at the University of Utah and currently working at the Casey Eye Institute at the Oregon Health and Science University, the Company performed RPE transplantation into sub-retinal space of rats that naturally become blind in several weeks due to RPE degeneration and photoreceptor death. In the experiments conducted by the Company, the rats were injected with embryonic stem-RPE cells into the sub-retinal space of the eye at 21 days after their birth — an age at which photoreceptor degeneration has not yet occurred. As control measures, some rats received injections of cell culture medium alone or were not injected at all. Subsequently, tests for visual function were performed at 60 and 90 days after birth — times at which loss of photoreceptor cell has produced characteristic vision deficits. The results represented a major breakthrough. The injected RPE cells grew normally without forming teratomas. Soon, the rats were able to follow lights with their eyes and attained approximately 70% of the spatial acuity of a normal, healthy rat. Necropsy revealed that the eyes had grown layers of the retinal cells. The experiment demonstrated that animals receiving the human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells performed significantly better than medium-only treated (50% improvement), or untreated (100% improvement) controls in visual performance. In addition, the human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells did not appear to cause any side effects in the animals. The research was published in Cloning and Stem Cells and was also referenced in Scientific American.
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-QSB for the quarter ended September 30, 2007. 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.
