Neuralstem Collaborates with Hospital in Taiwan to Develop Additional ALS Stem Cell Clinical Trials
02 Dezember 2008 - 2:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Neuralstem Inc.
(NYSE Alternext US: CUR) announced today that it has entered into a
collaboration with the China Medical University & Hospital of
Taiwan, to advance development of Neuralstem's human spinal cord
neural stem cell therapies. The collaboration will focus on
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) with
Dr. Shinn-Zong Lin, MD, PhD as principle investigator. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061221/DCTH007LOGO ) "We are
pleased to have established this collaboration in Taiwan," said
Richard Garr, Neuralstem President & CEO. "The goal is to
qualify our existing cGMP spinal cord cells into a human trial
program to treat ALS in Taiwan. We would expect the Taiwan trial to
follow the U.S. trial by about 6 to 9 months. As we prepare to
submit an IND to treat ALS with our stem cells in the U.S. this
fall, we continue to look for strategic relationships in both
Europe and Asia that will allow us to move the cells into humans.
Taiwan is a substantial and important market in Asia, and China
Medical University is the National leader in innovative
neurological research and treatments. We are very pleased to be
adding them as another partner as we build out our worldwide
network of neurosurgical centers capable of conducting clinical
trials, and ultimately delivering our cell therapies." About
Neuralstem Neuralstem's patented technology enables, for the first
time, the ability to produce neural stem cells of the human brain
and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and the ability to
control the differentiation of these cells into mature,
physiologically relevant human neurons and glia. Major Central
Nervous System diseases targeted by the Company with research
programs currently underway include: Ischemic Spastic Paraplegia,
Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury and ALS. The company's cells have
extended the life of rats with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) as
reported the journal TRANSPLANTATION, in collaboration with Johns
Hopkins University researchers, and also reversed paralysis in rats
with Ischemic Spastic Paraplegia, as reported in NEUROSCIENCE on
June 29, 2007, in collaboration with researchers at University of
California San Diego. The Company expects to file its first IND
(Investigational New Drug) application with the FDA for ALS in the
fall. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information
This news release may contain forward-looking statements made
pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such
forward-looking statements in this press release regarding
potential applications of Neuralstem's technologies constitute
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development
and commercialization of potential products, uncertainty of
clinical trial results or regulatory approvals or clearances, need
for future capital, dependence upon collaborators and maintenance
of our intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ
materially from the results anticipated in these forward- looking
statements. Additional information on potential factors that could
affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed
from time to time in Neuralstem's periodic reports, including the
annual report on Form 10- KSB for the year ended December 31, 2007
and the quarterly report on form 10-Q for the period ended
September 30, 2008.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061221/DCTH007LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Neuralstem Inc. CONTACT:
Company, Richard Garr, President of Neuralstem Inc.,
+1-301-366-4960; or Media, Deanne Eagle of Planet Communications,
+1-917-837-5866, or Investors, Ira Weingarten, +1-805-897-1880, or
Steve Chizzik, +1-908-688-9111, both of Equity Communications for
Neuralstem Inc. Web site: http://www.neuralstem.com/
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