Stem cells have generated recent interest from venture investors as tools to discover new drugs with the annual global market for stem cell-related research products growing 35% per year to $100 to $200 M.
Tengion Inc, (NASDAQ:TNGN) is focused on replacement neo (like) organs using a patient’s own cells and raised $26 M via an IPO (4/14/10); pricing 6 M shares at $5 per share. Piper Jaffray and Leerink Swann served as co-lead underwriters. The stock closed at $4.67 on 4/14/10 and is trading mid-day at $4.90 on 4/15/10 down from the offering price. TNGN also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 shares to cover over-allotments, if any. TNGN’s technology has the potential to create new human tissues and organs (neo-tissues and neo-organs) by using the patient’s own (autologous) cells. Read more…
Fate (FATE) Therapeutics had (4/8/10) announced the acquisition of Verio Therapeutics Inc., a privately held biotechnology company based in Ottawa, Ontario, which is developing drug candidates targeting the activation of endogenous stem cells. Terms of the purchase weren’t shared, but it adds considerable experience in muscle and pancreatic regeneration. FATE is developing small molecule and biologic drug candidates to modulate stem cell pathways to stimulate a desired outcome, such as regenerating tissue or blocking cancer growth. Read more…
Dr. Hans-Dieter Volk, Professor of Immunology and Chair of the Institute of Medical Immunology and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT) at Charité Universitätsmedizin in Berlinhave and Dr. Matthias von Herrath, Professor at the La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology at University of San Diego been added to ISCO.OB’s Scientific Advisory Board.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has allowed a contract for the dissemination of embryonic stem cell lines approved for US government funding to lapse, shuttering a key stem cell bank and doubling the price researchers pay for samples of some human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. Researchers hoped that stem cell research would be moving forward by leaps and bounds with the number of hESC lines approved for federal funding more than doubling since the limitations of the Bush administration were lifted in 2009. But a major stumbling block remains — getting those newly approved lines to the researchers who want to use them.
ASTM announced the appointments of Daniel R. Salomon, M.D., Karen K. Hirschi, Ph.D., Marc Penn, M.D., Ph.D., FACC, and Mahendra Rao, M.D., Ph.D., to its newly formed scientific advisory board (SAB).
These distinguished scientists and clinicians will provide guidance in their respective areas of expertise in stem cell biology and cardiovascular disease.
Scimitar Equity, LLC has issued a review of Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTM) entitled, “New CEO Executes Bold Vision, Financing and Reverse Split with Three Phase 2 Trials Enhancing the Valuation.”
Scimitar initiates with a BUY ranking and maintains that the current momentum and share price appreciation should continue to propel ASTM to its designated valuation given substantial improvements in viability and sustainability associated with the company’s recent financing, reverse split moves, and clinical development activities.
The final patient has been treated ongoing multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled U.S. Phase 2b clinical trial designated RESTORE-CLI.
This patient received intramuscular injections of either Aastrom’s tissue repair cells (TRCs) or electrolyte solution (placebo) for the treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI), the end-stage of peripheral arterial disease. TRC-based cellular therapies are produced from a small sample of bone marrow taken from a patient. ASTM’s TRC technology greatly expands the cell populations for direct delivery to the damaged tissues of the same patient.
Aastrom’s (NASDAQ:ASTMD) ticker symbol will revert back (dropping the “D” designation) to ASTM as of 3/18/10. ASTM’s reverse stock split which became effective (2/18/10), has been trading on a post-split basis under the temporary trading symbol “ASTMD” for approximately 20 trading days.
Can Advanced Cell Technology (ACTC.OB) continue its existence and access to further capital requirements to move their programs to the clinic? I believe that Bill Caldwell, Bob Lanza and ACTC.OB who have lasted this long through many, many travails … with the right financing and agreements (with past investors and holders of debentures) … could … make it but, the jury is still out.
Founder and Director of Research, Henry McCusker enters his eighth (8) year at Scimitar Equity with past experience in sell-side analysis, buy-side management, corporate management and due diligence.