CTII: Neuer Stern am Biotechhimmel - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[locke9]

Hallo leute,

in usa hat heute eine kleine biotech-firma mit
namen cytotherapeutics um 79 Prozent zugelegt.
Grund: denen ist es erstmals gelungen, eine
stammzelle aus einem menschlichen gehirn
zu isolieren. wenn man die us-boards so liest,
scheint das eine mittlere bis größere sensation zu
sein, medizinische weiterentwicklungen zur
behandlung von alzheimer oder lähmungen
könnten drin sein. die firma ist denkbar klein,
und liegt heute nach dem rasanten anstieg bei nur etwas über
fünf dollar. hat jemand ahnung von der materie
und kann dazu einen kommentar abgeben?
ctii ist auch in berlin notiert. im folgenden
der artikel aus dem yahoo-board

CytoTherapeutics Subsidiary Stemcells, Inc. Announces First
Direct Isolation of Human Brain Stem Cells

Scientists At StemCells, Inc. Report Breakthrough At Keystone Symposium Today

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 20, 2000--
StemCells, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CytoTherapeutics
(Nasdaq:CTII - news), announced today results
which suggest they have succeeded, for the first time, in purifying human
brain stem cells directly from brain tissue and have dramatically expanded the number of these cells in simple defined
cultures. Nobuko Uchida, Ph.D., leader of the neural stem cell research team at StemCells, Inc., presented the findings at the
Keystone Symposium in Keystone, Colorado. StemCells, Inc. is focused on identifying tissue-specific stem cells such as the
brain-derived neural stem cell.

Stem cells are rare, undifferentiated cells that can both duplicate themselves (``self-renew``) and produce differentiated
(functionally specialized) cell types that constitute the various tissues or organ systems of the human body.

``The ability to isolate and culture normal human brain stem cells is a breakthrough that could open the way to utilizing these
cells to replace or repair diseased or damaged tissue in a patient with neurological or neurodegenerative disorders,`` Dr.
Uchida said. ``Highly purified normal stem cells, which have not been genetically modified with cancer genes to make them
grow, may be very suitable for transplantation and may provide a safer and more effective alternative to therapies that are
based on cells derived from cancer cells or from an unpurified mix of many different cell types.``

The researchers additionally reported that, in animal models, they were able to take these purified and expanded stem cells
and transplant them back into intact host brains, where they engraft and grow into functional neuronal and glial cells. As long
as seven months later, the transplanted human cells still survived and had migrated to specific functional domains of the host
brain, with no sign of tumor formation or adverse effects on the mouse recipients. This finding shows that in some relevant
respects, the implanted cells act like normal cells.

``The purification of human neural stem cells that Dr.Uchida and colleagues have achieved is the subject of a ``composition
of matter`` patent, filed by the Company, which we believe places StemCells in a leading intellectual property position in the
field,`` said George Dunbar, Acting President of StemCells, Inc.

Finding and isolating human brain stem cells

Although scientists suspected that the human brain contained stem cells, they had not previously been able to purify the stem
cells directly from fresh brain tissue. The reason for this inability, Dr. Uchida explained, could be attributed to technical
hurdles of sorting cells from brain tissue, which would have hampered the ability to rapidly identify suitable surface markers
on these cells.

Working in collaboration with Drs. Fred Gage (The Salk Institute) and Irving Weissman (Stanford Medical Center), two
internationally recognized leaders in stem cell research, the StemCells team was first to succeed in identifying antibodies to
surface markers on human brain stem cells. By using an antibody approach and state of the art instrumentation, the scientists
were able to purify the stem cells away from other cells in the brain tissue.

Potential applications of isolating human brain stem cells

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson`s and Alzheimer`s disease, stroke and epilepsy, affect more than 5 million
people in the United States alone, and currently no effective long-term therapies are available. The transplantation of human
neural stem cells could potentially provide a way to repair tissue damaged by such diseases and injuries that affect the
central nervous system.

The ability to isolate human brain stem cells directly from fresh, uncultured tissue is important for several reasons. First, it
provides a source of genetically unmodified, normal stem cells for transplantation that is uncontaminated by other unwanted
or diseased cell types. Second, it opens the way to better understanding the properties of these cells and how to possibly
manipulate them in order to treat specific diseases. For example, the stem-cell derived neural cultures can be genetically
modified to secrete needed proteins for the brain. Finally, the efficient engraftment of these non-transformed normal human
stem cells into host mouse brains means that the cell product can be tested for its ability to correct deficiencies, in mouse
models, of various human neurological diseases. This technology could also provide a unique animal model for the testing of
drugs that act on human brain cells.

CytoTherapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of stem
cell-based therapies.

Statements in this press release other than statements of historical facts constitute forward looking statements regarding,
among other things, the future business operations of CytoTherapeutics, Inc., or of StemCells, Inc., its wholly-owned
subsidiary (collectively, ``the Company``). The Company`s actual results may vary materially from those contemplated in the
forward looking statements due to risks and uncertainties to which the Company is subject, including uncertainties regarding
the Company`s ability to obtain the capital resources needed to conduct the research, preclinical development and clinical
trials necessary for regulatory approvals; the fact that the Company`s stem cell technology is at the pre-clinical stage and has
not yet led to the development of any proposed product; the uncertainty whether any products that may be generated in the
future in the Company`s stem cell programs will prove clinically effective and not cause tumors or other side effects; the
uncertainty whether the Company will achieve revenues from product sales or become profitable; and others that are
described in Exhibit 99 to the Company`s Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled ``Cautionary Factors Relevant to Forward
Looking Statements.``

Contact:

[ALJECHIN]

!

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[Garant]

Die Technologie mit den Stem Cells scheint mir recht vielversprechend. Wie sieht eure Einschätzung zu diesem Markt und zu diesem Wert langfristig (>12Monate) aus?


Danke euch!