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September 7th, 2005
Cord Blood Expands Operations through Non-Controversial
Stem Cell Agreements
Cord Blood America’s has reported agreements that
have rounded out its stem cell banking services, a service intended to preserve stem cells for later use. One agreement is
market Bio-Matrix Scientific Group's (Pink Sheets:BMXP). As part of that agreement, Cord Blood America will market Bio-Matrix’s
adult adipose and cord blood stem cell banking and cryogenics services. Commenting on that agreement was Bio-Matrix's CEO,
David Koos, "The relationship we are evolving with Cord Blood America is the beginning of a new direction for stem cell banking.
Together, Cord Blood and Bio-Matrix are taking stem cell banking from just cord blood into a new direction, the banking of
adipose stem cells. In our opinion, these stem cells show great promise for the future in regenerative medicine. We believe
Bio-Matrix's facility will be the first U.S. commercial stem cell bank housing adipose stem cells."
Cord Blood America also recently entered into an
agreement with NeoStem, to market storage services for adult peripheral stem cells. Noting that agreement in context to the
Bio-Matrix agreement was Matthew L. Schissler, Chairman and CEO of Cord Blood America,, "We have, in essence, completed the
trifecta. Cord Blood America has, and continues to add, a client base educated and interested in storing stem cells. Adding
Bio-Matrix as our partner laboratory for adipose stem cell storage now gives us three adult stem cell storage offerings --
cord blood, adult peripheral stem cells and adipose stem cells. Unlike embryonic, all three have the advantage of being non-controversial."
Adipose tissue is considered easier to obtain than bone
marrow tissue and is said to have a much higher yield than adult stem cells. This is due to its ability to be transferred
from storage back to the original donor’s body.
July 20, 2005
StemCyte, Inc., a company that has provided umbilical cord blood units for over 200 stem cell transplant procedures
to transplant and cancer centers throughout the world, has completed an international round of financing. The company also
operates a family cord blood bank, called the Cord Blood Family Trust. At that stem cell holding facility, where parents can
store their baby’s cord blood for potential use years later – which could include saving any one of the family
members life or reversing debilitating diseases.
Ken Giacin, CEO of StemCyte indicated the funds would be used to improve service, "This latest series of financings
allows both StemCyte and Cord Blood FamilyTrust to offer an even higher level of service for all of our current and future
customers. We are very pleased that the global investment community is recognizing the value of our mission to provide the
highest quality umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation and therapeutic products to patients in need."
Cord blood stem cells, according to StemCyte, can be used to treat 70 diseases, which include leukemia and
genetic disorders.
OXIS Enters into Nurtraceutical Manufacturing Agreement for Synthetic Ergothioneine
Ergothioneine, an antioxidant that that OXIS International, Inc. (OTCBB:OXIS) has developed to fight age-related
diseases, will be manufactured by Cambridge Major Laboratories (Germantown, Wisconsin) as part of an agreement between the
two companies. To be manufactured according to the FDA’s Drug GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), the nutracuetical
is expected to eventually be available in tablet, capsule, cream and gel-cap forms. According to Steven T. Guillen, President
and CEO of OXIS, "Our goal is to bring to market the industry's first synthetic source of Ergothioneine in tablet, capsule,
cream, or gel-cap forms with the highest level of quality to help combat many age-related diseases ranging from Alzheimer's
to cancer."
The company explains that Ergothioneine is an important supplement because the human body does not produce
it and it must be ingested. The CEO of Cambridge Major Laboratories, Dr. Michael W. Majo, also sees Ergothioneine as
beneficial to human health, "Ergothioneine is one of the most advanced antioxidants to be brought to the market and I believe
its potential is equal to or greater than that of Vitamin C."
OXIS has also made plans to develop other Ergothioneine based products for a number of other applications.
The company notes there is potential to develop Ergothioneine to protect the skin, such as for sunscreens and cosmetics. The
technology could also be used for the development of topical ophthalmic preparations.
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