NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (Nasdaq: NBS ) ("NeoStem" or the "Company"), a leader in the emerging cellular therapy market, is pleased to announce that three experts at the forefront of asthma research have agreed to serve as consultant advisors to NeoStem's Regulatory T cell program. William Busse, M.D., of the University of Wisconsin, Mario Castro, M.D., M.P.H, of the Washington University in St Louis, and Prescott Woodruff, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of California, San Francisco ("UCSF"), will be collaborating with NeoStem to advise and provide support in the area of asthma research. Each of the consultants brings a breadth of experience in research to assist the Company in determining the appropriate clinical endpoints for a clinical trial in steroid resistant asthma.
"We are fortunate to have some of the brightest minds in asthma research working with and advising our team," said Dr. Andrew Pecora, Chief Visionary Officer of NeoStem. "Their expertise will help our own experienced NeoStem scientists to create a robust protocol for clinical trials in the area of steroid resistant asthma."
Asthma is a serious health and economic concern that affects millions. In 2010, 18.7 million adults had asthma (1 in 12 adults) and seven million children had asthma (1 in 11 children). Asthma is also expensive, costing the United States $56 billion each year.
The formation of this consulting group comes on the heels of a recently announced collaboration between NeoStem and the UCSF laboratories of Jeffrey Bluestone, PhD, and Qizhi Tang, PhD, to work in partnership on the development of Treg therapies for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, steroid resistant asthma and organ transplant rejection. The retention of these consultants complements the Company's commitment to the development and commercialization of immunomodulatory cellular therapeutic products for the treatment of intractable diseases involving the immune system.
"The added expertise of Drs. Busse, Castro, and Woodruff, together with the collaboration we recently entered into with Drs. Bluestone and Tang at UCSF, gives NeoStem tremendous insight as we develop our clinical trial protocols," said Dr. Robin L. Smith, Chairman and CEO of NeoStem. "We will greatly benefit from the advice and support of these disease-area experts, and we look forward to their contributions as we endeavor to move our program ahead into the clinical phase."
Dr. Douglas W. Losordo, Chief Medical Officer of NeoStem, added, "This project continues NeoStem's methodical expansion of its development programs, targeting conditions that require chronic treatment with innovative cell-based therapies intended to restore health and eliminate the need for ongoing treatment."
About NeoStem, Inc.
NeoStem, Inc. ("NeoStem" or the "Company") is a leader in the emerging cellular therapy industry. Our business model includes the development of novel proprietary cell therapy products as well as operating a contract development and manufacturing organization providing services to others in the regenerative medicine industry. The combination of a therapeutic development business and revenue-generating service provider business provides the Company with capabilities for cost effective in-house product development and immediate revenue and cash flow generation.
For more information, please visit: www.neostem.com
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 successful execution of the Company's business strategy, including with respect to the Company's research and development and clinical evaluation efforts as well as efforts towards development of cellular therapies, including with respect to AMR-001, the future of the regenerative medicine industry and the role of stem cells and cellular therapy in that industry and the Company's ability to successfully grow its contract development and manufacturing business. 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 11, 2013 and in the Company's periodic filings with the SEC. The Company's further development is highly dependent on future medical and research developments and market acceptance, which is outside its control.
NeoStem Eric Powers Manager of Communications and Marketing Phone: +1-212-584-4173 Email:
