MADISON, Wis., Sept. 30, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cellular Dynamics International (Nasdaq:ICEL), a developer and manufacturer of fully functioning human cells in industrial quantities to precise specifications, will be added to the U.S. small-cap Russell 2000® Index on September 30 when Russell Investments reconstitutes its comprehensive family of global indexes. Membership in the Russell 2000, which will remain in place until the Index is rebalanced in June 2014, is based on membership in the broad-market Russell 3000® Index. The stock also will be added systematically to the appropriate growth and value indexes. The Russell indices are often used by equity fund managers as benchmarks to measure relative performance of their funds.

Robert Palay, chief executive officer of CDI, commented, "We are pleased to be added to the Russell 2000 Index, particularly so soon after our Initial Public Offering in July. We welcome the distinction and believe our inclusion will increase Cellular Dynamics' visibility in the investment community and generate further interest in our stock."

Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies. Approximately $4.1 trillion in assets currently are benchmarked to them. Russell calculates more than 80,000 benchmarks daily covering approximately 98 percent of the investable market globally, more than 80 countries and 10,000 securities. These investment tools originated from Russell's multi-manager investment business in the early 1980s when the company saw the need for a more objective, market-driven set of benchmarks to evaluate outside investment managers. Real-time market analysis on the Russell 2000 and other Russell Indexes is available at http://www.russell.com/indexes/data/US_Equity/Russell_US_Index_returns.asp.

About Russell:

Russell Investments (Russell) is a global asset manager and one of only a few firms that offers actively managed multi-asset portfolios and services that include advice, investments and implementation. Russell stands with institutional investors, financial advisors and individuals working with their advisors—using the firm's core capabilities that extend across capital market insights, manager research, portfolio construction, portfolio implementation and indexes to help each achieve their desired investment outcomes.

Russell has more than $173 billion in assets under management (as of 3/31/2013) and works with over 2,500 institutional clients, independent distribution partners and individual investors globally. As a consultant to some of the largest pools of capital in the world, Russell has $2.6 trillion in assets under advisement (as of 12/31/2012). It has four decades of experience researching and selecting investment managers and meets annually with more than 2,200 managers around the world. Russell traded more than $1.4 trillion in 2012 through its implementation services business.

About Cellular Dynamics International, Inc.

Cellular Dynamics International, Inc. (CDI) is a leading developer of induced pluripotent stem cell technologies for in vitro drug development, stem cell banking and in vivo cellular therapeutic research. CDI harnesses its unique manufacturing technology to produce differentiated tissue cells in industrial quality, quantity and purity from any individual's induced pluripotent stem cell line created from a standard blood draw. CDI was founded in 2004 by Dr. James Thomson, a pioneer in human pluripotent stem cell research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. CDI's facilities are located in Madison, Wisconsin, with a second facility in Novato, California. See www.cellulardynamics.com.
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Forward-looking Statements

To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Cellular Dynamics International, Inc., including statements regarding the investment community's interest in our stock, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our product development efforts, actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Cellular Dynamics undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of the Company in general, see Cellular Dynamic's Prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 26, 2013.