Stem Cell Companies

NUMEROUS COMPANIES HAVE been organized that are seeking to develop advances in stem cell research and technology. New breakthroughs in stem cell research and new medical cures would result in large income revenues for patented stem cell lines and procedures. The vast majority of stem cell companies are publicly traded on the NASDAQ, the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), the Over—the-Counter market (OTC or OTCBB), on smaller regional exchanges, and on other stock exchanges around the world. It is estimated by stock analysts that there are over 200 companies engaged in developing stem cell products worldwide and that number is growing.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTCBB symbol ACTC.OB) is based in Los Angeles. It is using stem cell technology in the field of regenerative medicine to create patient—specific therapies in the treatment of heart disease.

Astrom Biosciences (NASDAQ symbol ASTM) is a leader in the development of autologous cell products for the repair or regeneration of human tissue. It is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It has fourteen Ph.D. holders and three M.D.s on its staff. It has developed a Tissue Repair Cell (TRC) technology that uses a patient's own cells to manufacture products. These can be used to treat a range of chronic diseases and serious injuries affecting vascular, bone, cardiac, and neural tissues.

Blackstone Medical has operations in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Wayne, New Jersey. Blackstone Medical was purchased in 2006 by Orthofix, Inc. (NASDAQ symbol OFIX), which is based in the Netherlands Antilles and has an American headquarters in McKinney, Texas. It is now a subsidiary of Orthofix. It manufactures orthopedic devices and other instruments. Black—stone is marketing an allogeneic bone matrix containing viable stem cells that can provide the benefits of autograft.

BrainStorm (OTCBB symbol BCLI) is a New York City company. It is developing stem cell technologies to provide treatments for currently incurable neurodegenerative diseases. It is using adult [Page 522]stem cells taken from the patient's own bone marrow to treat diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), and spinal cord injury.

Cryo—Cell International, Inc., is based in Olds—mar, Florida. Its stock is traded OTC under the symbol CCEL. The company freezes and stores umbilical cord blood stem cells. The frozen umbilical cord is preserved as insurance against the future development of a disease to the baby, at a later time in its life, on the assumption that stem cells will remain viable.

Cytori Therapuetics, Inc. (CYTX on the NASDAQ), is based at San Diego, California. Its stock is traded on a number of exchanges in Europe, North America, and Japan. It is developing processes for harvesting adult stem cells from humans that can be used in regenerative medicine.

BioE is based in St. Paul, Minnesota. It is currently a privately held biomédical company. Its mission is to commercialize human umbilical cord blood stem cells and the associated tools and technologies needed to develop life—enhancing therapeutics and pharmaceuticals via high—quality cellular research and drug discovery. It was founded in 1993. Since 2001, its most recent commercial products have been the Multi—Lineage Progenitor Cell™ (MLPC™) and its PrepaCyte® technology for the processing of cord blood stem cells and other therapeutically important cells.

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