X-Message-Number: 13160
Date:   Sat, 29 Jan 2000 12:29:46 -0700
From: sublime <>
Subject: Please forward this to Darren
References: <>

Mom - I can't find Darren's email address but this press release on
brain stem research is fascinating and I think - something he may find
interesting. Kindly forward for me.  Thanks - love Patrice


Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 22:48:48 -0800 (PST)
Subject: First Direct Isolation of Human Brain Stem Cells




http://www.individual.com/browse/story.shtml?story=b0120124.800&level1=46610&level2=46613&level3=109674&date=20000121

CytoTherapeutics Subsidiary Stemcells,
Inc. Announces First Direct Isolation of
Human Brain Stem Cells; Scientists At
StemCells, Inc. Report Breakthrough At
Keystone Symposium Today

January 21, 2000


SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 20, 2000 via NewsEdge
Corporation -

StemCells, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CytoTherapeutics
(Nasdaq:CTII), 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: StemCells, Inc. | George Dunbar, Acting President,
408/731-8670 | or | IR PR Strategies, LLC | Media Contact for Stem
Cells, Inc: | Laura Hansen, Ph.D., 858/860-0266

--
http://www.geocities.com/patricelevin

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