TEL-AVIV, Israel, Dec. 16, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cellect Biomed Ltd. (TASE: CLBD ) (“Cellect” or the “Company”), a developer of innovative technology which enables the functional selection of stem cells, announced today that it has received institutional review board (IRB) approval (Helsinki Committee) from the Schneider Medical Center in Petah Tikva to conduct a preliminary trial in humans using healthy volunteers. In the trial, cells harvested by apheresis (the same protocol used for bone marrow transplantations (BMT)) will be collected from healthy volunteers and undergo functional selection according to Cellect's unique technology and performed under the same protocols designed for the upcoming clinical trials.
Following the apheresis and selection process, the quantity and quality of cells will be analyzed for safety, stem cell concentrations, and the capacity for creating colonies, all optimized during the product development phase. This procedure will be testing the Company's functional selection technology ("Cellect inside TM ") and is the final qualification required to allow transplantations in patients to commence.
The trial will be conducted in the Bone Marrow Transplantation Department of Schneider Hospital by Professor Isaac Yaniv, head of the Department, and Dr. Jerry Stein, according to clinical protocols for the collection of cells for transplantation.
Dr. Shai Yarkoni, Cellect’s CEO, said: “In this healthy volunteers trial, Cellect will test the stem cell selection procedure based on its unique technology as developed so far. Evaluating the Company's functional selection technology, Cellect inside TM , in healthy volunteers represents a significant milestone towards the treatment of leukemia patients."
This preliminary trial will precede Cellect’s clinical trial in patients, which is expected to be conducted in Rambam Medical Center and to include leukemia patients undergoing BMT from a related donor.
About Cellect
Cellect develops an innovative technology which enables the functional selection of stem cells based on their sensitivity to apoptosis. This functional-based selection is an international breakthrough in the ability to isolate stem cells from mature cells, thereby improving a variety of stem cells applications.
The company’s first product line will include unique containers for cell selection in apoptosi s-inducing microenvironment. Cellect has proved in extensive lab studies that the use of apoptosis can largely increase the stem cell concentration in samples taken from bone marrow donors, as well as umbilical cord blood. The first commercial product of the company is a medical kit designed for the cancer treatment bone marrow transplantations market, as well as other markets which require cell selection. The company estimates that in the future its technology will be integrated in many production procedures of stem cell-based product.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, about Cellect's expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding, among other things, its product development efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects. In addition, from time to time, Cellect or its representatives have made or may make forward-looking statements, orally or in writing. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "may," "should" or "anticipate" or their negatives or other variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. These forward-looking statements may be included in, but are not limited to, various filings made by Cellect with the TASE, press releases or oral statements made by or with the approval of one of Cellect's authorized executive officers. Forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause Cellect's actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause Cellect's actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the factors summarized in Cellect's filings with the TASE. In addition, Cellect operates in an industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond its control. Cellect does not undertake any obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
U.S. Investor Contact: Stephen Kilmer (647) 872-4849
