PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 25, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM) announced today the launch of GS1-R™, the first commercially available medium to enable the derivation, maintenance and growth of true (germline competent) rat embryonic stem (ES) cells. GS1-R, the latest addition to the Company's SC Proven® line of specialty cell culture products, is expected to have significant utility in the creation of genetically engineered rat models of human disease for use in academic, medical and pharmaceutical research.
The rat is a valuable tool in drug discovery. Both mice and rats are used by scientists as models for human disease. However, because rats are physiologically more similar to humans than are mice, rat models can be better suited for assessing drug efficacy and toxicity. To date, efforts to model certain human diseases using rats have been hindered by a lack of the true rat ES cells needed to genetically engineer precise disease models. GS1-R will help scientists overcome this barrier as it provides the cell culture conditions necessary to consistently generate true rat ES cell lines.
"The use of GS1-R could open the door to new and more effective drug discovery methods," said Stewart Craig, senior vice president, development and operations at StemCells, Inc. "In the pharmaceutical industry, rats are regarded as the preclinical model of choice for studying the in vivo effects of drugs for a wide range of disease indications. By providing a route to true rat embryonic stem cell lines, GS1-R is expected to facilitate efforts to achieve new, more sophisticated disease models that could lead to better predictability of human responses to drugs."
President and CEO Martin McGlynn added, "The launch of GS1-R reflects our commitment to market cell culture products that are innovative and useful to the growing number of researchers in the stem cell field, and we look forward to launching additional SC Proven products in the coming year."
The proprietary, breakthrough technology behind GS1-R was first published in December 2008 in the peer-reviewed journal Cell 1,2 after academic researchers in the United Kingdom and the United States succeeded in deriving the first true rat ES cells. StemCells, Inc. owns exclusive rights to the rat ES cell technology described in this publication and the media formulation used to create these rat pluripotent cell lines.-
The defined, serum-free GS1-R media formulation contains selective small molecule inhibitors that act to eliminate differentiation-inducing signals and promote cell survival, enabling the long-term maintenance of true germline competent rat ES cells in a pluripotent state. For more information about GS1-R and SC Proven cell culture products, interested parties are invited to visit www.scproven.com.
About StemCells, Inc.
StemCells, Inc. is focused on the development and commercialization of cell-based technologies. In its cellular medicine programs, StemCells is targeting diseases of the central nervous system and liver. StemCells' lead product candidate, HuCNS-SC® cells (purified human neural stem cells), is in clinical development for the treatment of two fatal neurodegenerative disorders that primarily affect young children. StemCells also markets specialty cell culture products under the brand SC Proven®, and is developing its cell-based technologies for use in drug screening and drug development. The Company has exclusive rights to approximately 55 issued or allowed U.S. patents and approximately 200 granted or allowed non-U.S. patents. Further information about StemCells is available at www.stemcellsinc.com.
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References
(1) Li P, et al. Germline Competent Embryonic Stem Cells Derived from Rat Blastocysts. Cell 135(7):1299-310, 2008
(2) Buehr M, et al. Capture of Authentic Embryonic stem Cells from Rat Blastocysts. Cell 135(7):1287-98, 2008
Apart from statements of historical fact, the text of this press release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is subject to the safe harbors created therein. These statements include, but are not limited to, the ability of GS1-R to enable the derivation, maintenance and growth of true germline competent rat ES cells and to facilitate efforts to genetically engineer more sophisticated disease models; the timing and prospects associated with the launch of additional SC Proven products; the potential for the Company's cell-based therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative diseases and other diseases or disorders; and the future business operations of the Company, including its ability to conduct clinical trials as well as its other research and product development efforts. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. Such statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain assumptions that may or may not ultimately prove valid. The Company's actual results may vary materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties to which the Company is subject regarding the Company's ability to obtain the increased capital resources needed to continue its current operations and to conduct the research, preclinical development and clinical trials necessary for regulatory approvals; its ability to successfully compete with other products on the market; and other factors that are described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K.