HAIFA, Israel, May 7, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:PSTI) (TASE:PLTR) today announced that its shares of common stock will be added to a newly created TA Tech-Elite index on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Scheduled for launch on May 11, 2014, the TA Tech-Elite index will comprise shares of Israel's leading technology and biomed companies. Initially, the index will include 34 eligible companies with Pluristem comprising approximately 2.05% of the index. The cumulative float-adjusted market cap of these companies exceeds approximately NIS 45 billion ($13 billion). Pluristem's shares of common stock are also currently traded on additional indices such as the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange's TA-100 and TA-75.
According to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, the TA Tech-Elite index will also be part of a new "Israeli High-tech" index, which will be calculated by an international index vendor and is expected to serve as the underlying asset for various index-tracking products, enabling greater exposure of Israel's high tech industry among foreign investors.
On May 11th, the date of the TA Tech-Elite index's launch, Pluristem Chairman and CEO Zami Aberman will ring the opening bell at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Also on May 11th, Mr. Aberman will deliver a corporate presentation at the Oppenheimer 15th Annual Israeli Conference in Tel Aviv at 10:50 am.
"Inclusion in the new TA Tech-Elite index will broaden our company's exposure and we expect our stock will be more widely held by both Israeli and global investors," commented Mr. Aberman.
About Pluristem Therapeutics
Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. is a leading developer of placenta-based cell therapies. The Company's patented PLX (PLacental eXpanded) cells are a drug delivery platform that releases a cocktail of therapeutic proteins in response to a host of local and systemic inflammatory and ischemic diseases. PLX cells are grown using the company's proprietary 3D micro-environmental technology and are an "off-the-shelf" product that requires no tissue matching prior to administration.
Pluristem has a strong intellectual property position, company-owned GMP certified manufacturing and research facilities, strategic relationships with major research institutions and a seasoned management team. For more information visit www.pluristem.com, the content of which is not part of this press release.
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Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and federal securities laws. For example, we are using forward-looking statements, when we discuss our expectation that the inclusion of our common stock in the new TA Tech-Elite index will broaden our exposure and that our stock will be more widely held by both Israeli and global investors. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of Pluristem only, and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: changes in technology and market requirements; we may encounter delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing our clinical trials; our products may not be approved by regulatory agencies, our technology may not be validated as we progress further and our methods may not be accepted by the scientific community; we may be unable to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of our products; unforeseen scientific difficulties may develop with our process; our products may wind up being more expensive than we anticipate; results in the laboratory may not translate to equally good results in real surgical settings; results of preclinical studies may not correlate with the results of human clinical trials; our patents may not be sufficient; our products may harm recipients; changes in legislation; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; loss of market share and pressure on pricing resulting from competition, which could cause the actual results or performance of Pluristem to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, Pluristem undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Pluristem, reference is made to Pluristem's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.