With over 300 presenting companies and 2,000 attendees last year, the Jeffries 2013 Global Healthcare Conference features an extensive range of public and private healthcare companies across many sectors there to attract both investors and partners, including firms like Emergent Biosolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN).

The four-day event includes presentations, Q&A breakout sessions, investor meetings, business-to-business meetings and thematic panel discussions. Attendees include institutional investors, private equity investors, venture capitalists, and leading executives addressing long-term investment opportunities and global opportunities in the healthcare space.

Here’s the full press release with details:

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using RNA-targeted technologies, today announced that the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Geert Cauwenbergh, will present at the Jefferies 2013 Global Healthcare Conference on Thursday, June 6, 2013 at 10:00am EDT.  Dr. Cauwenbergh will discuss the development of RXI-109, a self-delivering RNAi compound designed to reduce dermal scarring, as well as business development opportunities with RXi’s sd-rxRNA® technology platform.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the “Investors” section of the Company’s website, www.rxipharma.com.  A replay of the presentation will be available 90 days.

This conference is being held June 3-6, 2013 in New York City.  For more information visit: http://www.jefferies.com/

About RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII) is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies based on its proprietary, self-delivering RNAi platform. Therapeutics that use RNA interference, or “RNAi,” have great  promise because of their ability to down-regulate, the expression of a specific gene that may be over-expressed in a disease condition. Building on the pioneering work of scientific founder and Nobel Laureate Dr. Craig Mello, a member of the RXi Scientific Advisory Board, RXi’s first RNAi product candidate, RXI-109, targets connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) to reduce dermal scarring (fibrosis), entered into human clinical trials in June 2012.  For more information, please visit www.rxipharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future expectations, planned and future development of RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s products and technologies. Forward-looking statements about expectations and development plans of RXi’s products involve significant risks, and uncertainties: risks that RXi may not be able to successfully develop its candidates, or that development of RNAi-based therapeutics may be delayed or not proceed as planned, or that we may not develop any RNAi-based product; risks that the development process for our product candidates may be delayed, risks related to development and commercialization of products by our competitors, risks related to our ability to control timing and terms of collaborations with third parties, and the possibility that other companies or organizations may assert patent rights preventing us from developing our products. Actual results may differ from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements. RXi does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views, events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release.

Click Here: Read Arrayit’s Full 10-Q Filing

Profitability on the Bottom Line

Arrayit’s robust 66% revenue improvement came from fulfilling orders for high-throughput instruments, such as its NanoPrint LM60, SpotBot Titan and InnoScan 710AL. These advanced research tools are used across all microarray applications in genomics, proteomics and diagnostics in both research laboratories and core facilities.

Bottom line improvements came from lower selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”), which fell from $1,344,651 to $250,000 year over year. These gains were further boosted by a one-time $142,071 gain from the extinguishment of certain liabilities, which also helped improve the company’s balance sheet during the quarter.

A Look at Valuation Metrics

Arrayit trades with a forward price-earnings multiple of approximately 6x, assuming it can achieve $1 million in net income with 60 million shares outstanding, earning approximately $0.0166 on a full year basis. While this multiple may be appropriate for a commoditized business, the company’s 51% gross margins suggest greater potential.

Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) trades with a trailing twelve month (ttm) 90.4x price-earnings multiple and PerkinElmer Inc. (NYSE: PKI) trades with a 46x multiple. While these companies have greater revenues and profits, one could argue that Arrayit’s current 27.5x ttm multiple should be higher given the company’s catalyst pipeline.

Upcoming Catalysts & Risks

Arrayit’s full-year profitability in 2012, high double-digit top-line growth and bottom-line profitability in Q1-2013, suggest that the company is well-positioned to manage its negative $7 million in shareholders’ equity and quickly scale its business to generate long-term profits and cash flow.

The company’s risk factors are further outweighed by several catalysts including its OvaDx®, PDx™ and other proprietary molecular diagnostics and its existing backlog that grew from $95,183 in Q1 2012 to $270,549 during Q1 2013. With the increase in backlog, the company is likely to report higher revenues in the future, while its molecular diagnostics business provides additional potential.

More Information

Arrayit develops, manufactures, and markets life science tools and integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation, biological function, and diagnostics worldwide. These microarray tools and components, custom printing and analysis, and diagnostic microarrays for the early detection of treatable diseases are sold into multiple research end markets.

• Company Website

Not surprisingly, the most lucrative classes of drugs were those targeting heart disease, which was the leading cause of death in 2011, according to data from the CDC. Some of these blockbusters included Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE: PFE) Lipitor® that generated $7.7 billion and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) and Sanofi SA’s (NYSE: SNY) Plavix® that generated $6.8 billion.

So, how can investors find the next blockbuster drug?

Looking at Pfizer’s Lipitor® for Clues

Pfizer’s Lipitor® is a statin that works by blocking the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase in the liver in order to lower LDL cholesterol levels. The idea for a statin didn’t come from Pfizer – far from it. Dr. Akira Endo discovered statins working for a small Tokyo drug company called Sankyo in 1971 after spending years searching through more than 6,000 microbes for an HMG-CoA inhibitor.

After Dr. Endo discovered mevastatin, word of the breakthrough quickly spread throughout the medical community. Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) began immediately searching in the same class and found lovastatin, another statin that proved to be very effective in lower LDL cholesterol levels, and eventually developed Mevacor® that became the first U.S. statin.

Warner-Lambert soon discovered its own statin – atorvastatin – that proved more effective than Mevacor® in lowering LDL cholesterol. But with Mevacor® already in its final rounds of clinical trials at the time, the company needed to move quickly and partnered with Pfizer. The two used existing statins as comparisons, while keeping its own secret, giving it a key advantage.

Eventually, Pfizer and Warner-Lambert launched their drug Lipitor® onto the market and it went on to generate some $7.7 billion in sales and become the best selling drug of all time. The important takeaway is that it wasn’t a new concept and many customers still weren’t familiar with LDL cholesterol’s role initially, but the drug still became enormously successful.

Atherosclerosis is the Next Big Target

AtheroNova Inc. (OTCQB: AHRO) is taking a new approach in treating atherosclerotic plaque that doesn’t involve simply targeting LDL cholesterol levels. The company’s lead AHRO-001 compound uses naturally occurring compounds normally found in the digestive tract to dissolve soft or vulnerable plaque via a multi-prong approach that could complement statins.

Early pre-clinical trials of AHRO-001 at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai were promising, showing a 95% reduction in innominate arterial plaque formation versus the control group with no adverse side effects observed in the study group. Moreover, Ursodiol is based on the same active ingredient and has already been approved by the FDA for the treatment of gallstones and biliary cirrhosis.

Like Pfizer’s Lipitor®, AtheroNova’s AHRO-001 isn’t based on a new concept, but rather research that has been done for some time. Bile salts are a naturally occurring compound and have been extensively studied for many uses, but it wasn’t until recently that they were discovered as important modifiers of lipid and energy metabolism.

AtheroNova also holds several key patents on the technology, including U.S. Patent 8,304,383 that covers the use of hyodeoxycholic acid for atherosclerotic plaque lesions. These patents support the development of AHRO-001, as its partner CardioNova pursues similar intellectual property, on behalf of AtheroNova, to protect the assets in the Eurasian markets.

Potential New Class of Drugs

AtheroNova’s focus on bile salts represents a new potential class of drugs that could complement the $20 billion per year market for statins. By targeting the root cause of atherosclerosis, the company’s approach could add efficacy to the existing approach targeting LDL cholesterol, which may not be effective enough on its own, according to some studies.

Capturing even 1% of the statin market represents a $2 billion per year opportunity for the $20 million public company, putting AHRO-001 squarely in the blockbuster drug category. Like Warner-Lambert when it stumbled upon atorvastatin, AtheroNova could also partner with a larger drug company like Pfizer or Merck to bring the drug to market.

In the end, there’s little question that AtheroNova’s AHRO-001 has blockbuster drug potential, if it’s able to progress through clinical trials. There are also many positive early signs for AHRO-001, including an established safety profile and strong efficacy results. As a result, this is one speculative biotech play that investors may want to keep a close eye on moving forward.

Learn More and Sign Up to Follow AtheroNova Here:
http://www.emerginggrowthcorp.com/emailassets/ahro/ahro_landing.php

With a fresh capital infusion and solid clinical progress, investors in Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ISIS), Sangamo Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ: SGMO) or other RNA-focused companies may want to take a closer look at this recent spin-off for its near-term catalysts. Success with RXI-109 could help prove its model in other areas and set the stage for commercialization.

Read the company’s complete first quarter press release here:

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (OTCQB: RXII), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using RNA-targeted technologies, today reported its financial results for quarter ended March 31, 2013, and provided a business update.

“The first quarter of 2013 has been a good one for RXi Pharmaceuticals, with steady progress — in line with our planning and budget — for our research and development activities”, commented Dr Geert Cauwenbergh, President and CEO of the Company. He added that, “In addition to coming near the end of the Phase 1 clinical development stage for our anti-scarring compound RXI-109, RXi Pharmaceuticals has been able to significantly strengthen its cash balance by attracting new investors in its recent financing, including our largest new shareholders, OPKO Health Inc., Frost Gamma Investments Trust and Broadfin Capital, LLC, in addition to existing investors like Tang Capital Partners, LP and RTW Investments, LLC.”

Quarterly Financial Highlights

Cash and Cash Equivalents

At March 31, 2013, RXi had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $19.6 million, compared with $5.1 million at December 31, 2012.

Net Loss and Net Loss Applicable to Common Stockholders

The net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2013 was $14.4 million, including $0.6 million in non-cash share based compensation expense, compared with a net loss of $1.9 million, including $0.2 million in non-cash share based compensation expense, for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The increase in the net loss of $12.5 million was primarily attributable to a one-time charge of $12.3 million related to the fair value of common shares issued to OPKO Health, Inc. (“OPKO”) for the purchase of substantially all of OPKO’s RNAi-related assets.

Net loss applicable to common stockholders for the three months ended March 31, 2013 was $17.9 million compared with a net loss applicable to common stockholders of $1.9 million for the comparable period in 2012. The increase in net loss applicable to common stockholders of $16.0 million was primarily attributable to the aforementioned increase in the net loss as compared to prior year and $3.5 million of dividends paid in the form of preferred stock to the Company preferred shareholders.

Revenues

Total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2013 was $0.1 million as compared with no revenue for the comparable period in 2012. The increase in total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2013 was due to the recognition of work completed on the Company’s government grants during the period.

Research and Development Expense

Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were $13.8 million, compared with $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The increase of $12.6 million is largely due to the one-time charge of $12.3 million related to the fair value of common shares issued to OPKO for the purchase of substantially all of OPKO’s RNAi-related assets and an increase of $0.3 million in employee stock-based compensation expense.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were $0.7 million, compared with $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The decrease in general administrative expenses of $0.1 million was an increase in employee stock-based compensation expense offset by a decrease in general and administrative expenses, including lower personnel costs and a decrease in the use of outside professional services and consultants.

Preferred Stock Dividends

Accretion of Series A convertible preferred stock dividends was $3.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013, compared with no Series A convertible preferred stock dividends for the year comparable period in 2012. Upon the Company’s completion of the spin-off from its former parent company, Galena Biopharma, Inc., the Company issued shares of Series A convertible preferred stock to certain investors. The increase in preferred stock dividends relates to the fair value of dividends paid to the Series A preferred stock holders during the quarterly period.

First Quarter 2013 and Recent Corporate Highlights

• Initiation and Completion of Enrollment in Second Phase 1 Clinical Trial for RXI-109 Program: The Company initiated and fully enrolled a second Phase 1 clinical trial with its anti-scarring drug candidate, RXI-109, for the management of surgical and hypertrophic scars and keloids. Nine subjects (3 cohorts of 3) were enrolled in this multi-dose escalation study, during which subjects were administered intradermal injections of RXI-109 on multiple occasions over multiple weeks. Dose levels range from 2.5 to 7.5 mg per injection, and subjects received injections of RXI-109 in four separate areas of the abdomen and placebo injections in four other areas of the abdomen. This study not only evaluates safety/tolerance parameters and systemic exposure to RXI-109, but also measures mRNA levels of CTGF and various other biomarkers considered relevant for wound healing and scarring.
• Completion of Acquisition of RNAi-related Assets from OPKO: On March 1, 2013, RXi entered into an asset purchase agreement with OPKO, in which RXi acquired substantially all of OPKO’s RNAi-related assets, which included patents, licenses, clinical and preclinical data and other assets. As consideration for these assets, RXi issued to OPKO 50 million shares of its common stock and will make milestone payments to OPKO up to an aggregate of $50 million per product tied to the successful development and commercialization of products utilizing the acquired OPKO intellectual property. In addition, upon commercialization of these products, if approved, RXi would make royalty payments to OPKO.
• Completion of $16.4 million Placement of Common Stock: On March 6, 2013, RXi entered into definitive agreements related to the private placement of approximately 113 million shares of common stock at a price of $0.145 per share. The gross proceeds to the Company from the offering, which closed on March 12, 2013, were approximately $16.4 million and net proceeds to RXi, after payment of commissions, were approximately $16.0 million. The financing was lead by OPKO and Frost Gamma Investments Trust, a trust controlled by Phillip Frost, M.D. Other participants included existing investors Tang Capital Partners, LP and RTW Investments, LLC as well as new institutional and accredited investors.
• Appointment of H. Paul Dorman and Curtis A. Lockshin to the Company’s Board of Directors: In April 2013, RXi appointed H. Paul Dorman and Curtis A. Lockshin to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Dorman’s and Dr. Lockshin’s significant industry experience will be instrumental to supporting RXi’s growth and development initiatives.

About RXI-109

RXi Pharmaceutical’s first clinical program centers on RXI-109, a self-delivering RNAi compound (sd-rxRNA®) developed by RXi for the reduction of dermal scarring in planned surgeries. RXI-109 is designed to reduce the expression of CTGF (connective tissue growth factor), a critical regulator of several biological pathways involved in fibrosis, including scar formation in the skin. The first clinical trial of RXI-109, initiated in June 2012, was designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of several dose levels of RXI-109 in humans and may provide preliminary evidence of surgical scar reduction. A second Phase 1 trial also initiated in 2012 evaluates the safety of multiple (3) administrations of RXI-109 over 2 weeks and will allow the evaluation of RXI-109′s effect on scarring-related biomarkers. As there are currently no FDA-approved drugs to prevent scar formation, a therapeutic of this type could have great benefit for trauma and surgical patients, as a treatment during the surgical revision of existing unsatisfactory scars, and in the treatment, removal and inhibition of keloids (scars which extend beyond the original skin injury).

About RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (OTCQB: RXII) is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies based on its proprietary, next-generation RNAi platform. Therapeutics that use RNA interference, or “RNAi,” have great promise because of their ability to “silence,” or down-regulate, the expression of a specific gene that may be overexpressed in a disease condition. Building on the pioneering work of scientific founder and Nobel Laureate Dr. Craig Mello, RXi’s first RNAi product candidate, RXI-109, which targets CTGF (connective tissue growth factor), entered into a human clinical trial in June 2012 to evaluate its safety, tolerability and potential efficacy for scar prevention. For more information, please visit www.rxipharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “intend,” “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “should,” “designed to,” “will” and similar references. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about: our ability to successfully develop RXI-109 and our other product candidates; the timing and future success of our clinical trials with RXI-109; our expectation that we are coming near the end of Phase 1 clinical development stage for RXI-109; and our ability to implement cost-saving measures. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others: the risk that our clinical trial with RXI-109 may not be successful in evaluating the safety and tolerability of RXI-109 or providing preliminary evidence of surgical scar reduction; the successful and timely completion of clinical studies; uncertainties regarding the regulatory process; the availability of funds and resources to pursue our research and development projects, including our clinical trials with RXI-109; general economic conditions; and those identified under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in other filings the Company periodically makes with the SEC. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release.

AHRO-001 is a novel drug for the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. Rather than just targeting cholesterol levels like Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE: PFE) Lipitor® statin or Merck & Co.’s (NYSE: MRK) non-statin Zetia®, the company’s drug works by using a pharmacological compound to reduce cholesterol levels as well as potentially regress plaque deposits.

With heart disease responsible for 600,000 deaths per year in the U.S., there is a significant demand for drugs capable of reducing heart disease. In fact, statins alone are expected to reach $12.2 billion in global sales by 2018. AtheroNova’s AHRO-001 has the potential to revolutionize this market in a big way, making this clinical trial extremely important for investors to watch.

Read the full press release below:

AtheroNova Inc. (AHRO), a biotech company focused on the research and development of compounds to safely regress atherosclerotic plaque and to improve lipid profiles in humans, today announced that its Russian licensing partner CardioNova has received written notification of approval of the Phase 1 protocol in its Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (Minzdrav).  This notice clears CardioNova for distribution of the Phase 1 protocol to the participating clinical centers and application for its license to import AHRO-001 to conduct the Phase 1 trial.  CardioNova expects to obtain approval of its importation license in the next few weeks and commencement of patient screenings once drug product is in the control of the clinical research organization (CRO) conducting and monitoring the Phase 1 trial.

“We are thrilled to announce the achievement of another key milestone and we are now within weeks of commencement of human trials of AHRO-001,” said AtheroNova CEO Thomas W. Gardner.  “Our partner CardioNova has been working tirelessly to ensure the fastest possible turnaround on any requests for supplemental information and we thank them for the extraordinary effort on this critical approval.  We have finished the packaging and labeling of AHRO-001 and eagerly await the notification of the approval for importation into the Russian Federation.”

“We are delighted to have achieved this milestone approval for AHRO-001 and to be able to initiate clinical development of this exciting compound,” commented Dr. Alexey Eliseev, Managing Director of Maxwell Biotech Group, CardioNova’s parent company.

“We are excited that our many months of planning and effort will shortly result in the initiation of human clinical trials, potentially addressing one of the major health risks facing both Russia and the rest of the world,” remarked Andrey Boldyrev, General Director of CardioNova. “We are currently working with the CRO and the trial centers to distribute the approved protocol and making final preparations for the initiation of pre-screening and ultimately Phase 1 clinical trials in our Russian study centers.”

About AHRO-001

AHRO-001 is AtheroNova’s first novel application for the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic plaque is the primary, underlying cause of heart disease and stroke in industrialized countries. AHRO-001 uses certain pharmacological compounds to regress atherosclerotic plaque deposits through a process known as delipidization. Delipidization dissolves plaques in artery walls, which are then removed by natural body processes. AtheroNova is developing, and seeks to eventually market AHRO-001, a product that has the potential to become a new standard of care for patients prone to atherosclerotic plaque accumulation.

About AtheroNova

AtheroNova Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, AtheroNova Operations, Inc., is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, research, development and licensing of novel compounds to reduce or regress atherosclerotic plaque deposits and to safely improve lipid profiles in humans. In addition to its lead compound AHRO-001, AtheroNova plans to develop multiple applications for its patents-pending therapies in market sectors that include: Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, Peripheral Artery Disease, Dementia and Alzheimer’s and Erectile Dysfunction, all of which have been linked to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis and its related pharmaceutical expenses for these indications cost consumers more than $41 billion annually in the United States alone. For more information, please visit www.AtheroNova.com.

About Maxwell Biotech Group

Maxwell Biotech Group is a development partner and financial resource for biotechnology companies. Maxwell provides investment capital and access to an established infrastructure for conducting high-quality clinical trials in Russia, and helps enable the rapid and cost-effective achievement of clinical objectives. Maxwell’s unique business model can add value to its partners’ pipelines and provide a commercialization path to one of the most lucrative emerging markets. Maxwell relies on an experienced international team of managers and financial and industry experts, with offices in Moscow, Boston and San Diego.

About OOO CardioNova

OOO CardioNova is an operational company in the Russian Federation founded by Maxwell Biotech Group to conduct clinical trials of AHRO-001, seek its approval, and then commercialize it in the territories covered by the license agreement.

In addition to the presenting its technology at the IBC’s 15^th Annual TIDES: Oligonucleotide and Peptide Conference alongside companies like Sanofi SA’s (NYSE: SNY) Genzyme and AstraZeneca Inc.’s (NYSE: AZN) Medimmune, RXi Pharma will also be presenting today at the 2013 ARVO Annual Meeting, as well as, holding its first Investor and Analyst Symposium on July 12^th of this year.

For more information about the conference, please see the press release below:

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using RNA-targeted technologies, today announced that the Company’s Chief Development Officer, Pamela Pavco, Ph.D., will be presenting at IBC’s 15^th Annual TIDES: Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics Conference. The TIDES Summit is prominently known as the premier meeting place for the oligonucleotide and peptide discovery, development and manufacturing industries.

On Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 4:15pm EDT, Dr. Pavco will deliver a speaker presentation entitled “Clinical Development of RXI-109 to Reduce Dermal Scarring”, during the Clinical Progress of Oligonucleotide Therapeutics session.  Dr. Pavco’s presentation will be available on the Company’s website.

This conference is being held May 12-15, 2013 at the Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA.  For more information visit: http://www.ibclifesciences.com/TIDES

About RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII) is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies based on its proprietary, self-delivering RNAi platform. Therapeutics that use RNA interference, or “RNAi,” have great  promise because of their ability to down-regulate, the expression of a specific gene that may be over-expressed in a disease condition. Building on the pioneering work of scientific founder and Nobel Laureate Dr. Craig Mello, a member of the RXi Scientific Advisory Board, RXi’s first RNAi product candidate, RXI-109, targets connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) to reduce dermal scarring (fibrosis), entered into human clinical trials in June 2012.  For more information, please visit www.rxipharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future expectations, planned and future development of RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s products and technologies. Forward-looking statements about expectations and development plans of RXi’s products involve significant risks, and uncertainties: risks that RXi may not be able to successfully develop its candidates, or that development of RNAi-based therapeutics may be delayed or not proceed as planned, or that we may not develop any RNAi-based product; risks that the development process for our product candidates may be delayed, risks related to development and commercialization of products by our competitors, risks related to our ability to control timing and terms of collaborations with third parties, and the possibility that other companies or organizations may assert patent rights preventing us from developing our products. Actual results may differ from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements. RXi does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views, events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release.

Generx is a DNA-based angiogenic growth factor therapeutic developed to stimulate the growth of supplemental collateral blood vessels in the heart of patients with advanced coronary artery disease. The treatment has already been tested in clinical trials involving 650 patients at more than 100 medical centers in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere.

Recently, Generx was featured in the April issue of Molecular Therapy – the official journal of the American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy. Read the full press release below:

Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE MKT: CXM) today announced a publication, “Mechanistic, Technical, and Clinical Perspectives in Therapeutic Stimulation of Coronary Collateral Development by Angiogenic Growth Factors”, authored by Gabor M Rubanyi, M.D., Ph.D., Cardium’s Chief Scientific Officer in the April issue of Molecular Therapy.  The publication outlines current scientific knowledge about the mechanistic basis of adaptive coronary collateral growth, the biological processes to be targeted by therapeutic angiogenesis, and the optimization of clinical trial designs, including the selection of appropriate clinical trial endpoints, selection of patients who are likely responders to therapeutic stimulation of collateral development, and potential genetic and molecular markers in patient screening.  The abstract of the publication is now available at www.nature.com/mt/journal/v21/n4/abs/mt201313a.html (membership required for full viewing).  The Company will mail the full article to interested parties upon request by contacting Cardium at 858-436-1000.

“In this recent publication, I have summarized the lessons learned during the past 15 years of pre-clinical and clinical research and development efforts in the field of therapeutic angiogenesis using growth factor proteins and genes. I also described in some detail the specific insights that our team, first at Schering AG (now part of Bayer Healthcare) and now at Cardium, has gained in the course of the development of Generx, one of the most advanced therapeutic angiogenesis product candidates.  These lessons have been invaluable and they have been incorporated into the trial design of the Generx ASPIRE pivotal Phase 3 clinical study now underway at several leading cardiovascular centers in the Russian Federation,” stated Dr. Rubanyi.  Before joining Cardium in March 2006, Dr. Rubanyi was vice president of gene therapy at Berlex Biosciences (a subsidiary of Berlex Laboratories, the U.S. pharmaceutical affiliate of the Schering AG Group, Germany).  He played a leading role in the development of angiogenic gene therapy at Schering/Berlex in association with a strategic partnership with Collateral Therapeutics.  In 2002, Schering AG acquired Collateral Therapeutics, and in 2005, Cardium Therapeutics acquired the technology and product candidates, including Generx, from Schering AG.

About Generx

Generx is an interventional cardiology-focused product candidate that is being developed to offer a one-time, non-surgical option for the treatment of a medical condition termed cardiac microvascular insufficiency (CMI) in patients with myocardial ischemia and symptomatic chronic stable angina pectoris due to coronary artery disease.  Patients with CMI have had an insufficient angiogenic response to their current disease state and may benefit from a biological therapy that enhances cardiac perfusion through the facilitation of collateral vessel formation.  Currently, patient inclusion in the ASPIRE study requires evidence of stress induced reversible myocardial ischemia as measured by SPECT imaging.  The goal of the Company’s Generx product candidate is to improve blood flow to the heart muscle by promoting and enhancing cardiac perfusion through the enlargement of pre-existing collateral arterioles (arteriogenesis) and the formation of new capillary vessels (angiogenesis).  Various catheter-based imaging diagnostics including fractional flow reserve and washout collaterometry could enhance the clinical adoption of this non-surgical therapeutic angiogenesis approach following initial registration.

Cardium’s extensive preclinical and clinical studies have been instrumental in identifying cardiac ischemia as a key facilitator of non-surgical DNA-based angiogenic therapy.  Improved adenovector administration methods combine non-surgical, percutaneous balloon catheter-based delivery to transiently induce ischemia together with the use of nitroglycerin to enhance vector uptake. By increasing cell transfection efficiency and reaching both the peri-ischemic regions and pre-existing collaterals in the heart, this modified approach offers the potential to effectively simulate both angiogenesis and arteriogenesis to bring about improved blood flow.  Cardium’s new delivery techniques are also designed to provide uniform Generx uptake, to reduce response variability and to allow for the potential treatment of patients with a broader range of associated coronary artery disease.

Cardium has modified the primary endpoint of the ASPIRE clinical study from the traditional measure of improvement in treadmill exercise time (ETT) to a more objective efficacy endpoint of reduction in reversible perfusion deficit based on SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging.  Similar to mechanical/surgical cardiac revascularization approaches, the goal of Generx treatment is to improve myocardial perfusion (blood flow).  SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging can be used to quantitatively evaluate Generx’s effectiveness by measuring improved myocardial blood flow under stress, a key prognostic indicator that is associated with the regenerative process of new collateral vessel formation in and around the regions of ischemia.  While walking time during ETT has been a traditional efficacy measure of anti-anginal drugs, it is based on a subjective assessment of chest pain (angina pectoris), does not directly measure improvements in cardiac blood flow, and can be affected by other variables.  Positive results from the prior Phase 2 clinical study (Grines et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2003; 42:1339-47) showed that Generx improved myocardial blood flow in the ischemic region of the hearts of patients following a single intracoronary infusion as measured by the objective efficacy endpoint of SPECT imaging.  The observed treatment effect for patients receiving Generx was similar in magnitude to that reported in the literature for patients undergoing angioplasty/stent or revascularization procedures with reversible perfusion defects of comparable size at one year following these procedures.

ASPIRE Study

The ASPIRE study is a 100-patient, randomized and controlled multi-center study currently enrolling patients at up to eight leading cardiology centers in the Russian Federation.  The ASPIRE study is designed to further evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Cardium’s Generx DNA-based angiogenic product candidate, which has already been tested in clinical studies involving 650 patients at more than one hundred medical centers in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere.  The efficacy of Generx is being quantitatively assessed using rest and stress SPECT (Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography) myocardial imaging to measure improvements in microvascular cardiac perfusion following a one-time, non-surgical, catheter-based administration of Generx.  The Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Nuclear Cardiology Core Laboratory in Los Angeles, California, is the central core lab for the study and is responsible for the analysis of SPECT myocardial imaging data electronically transmitted from the Russian medical centers participating in the ASPIRE study.  The Russian Health Authority has assigned Generx the therapeutic drug trade name of Cardionovo^® for marketing and sales in Russia.

An independent long-term prospective study published in Circulation (Meier et al, Circ. 2007; 116:975-983) provided key evidence indicating that men and women with more recruitable collateral circulation have a better chance of surviving a heart attack than patients who have less developed collateral circulation.  This important study quantitatively evaluated coronary collateral blood flow in 845 patients with coronary artery disease during a 10-year follow-up period and showed that long-term cardiac mortality was approximately 66% lower in patients with a well-developed coronary collateral network (p=0.019).  For the first time, this study showed the importance of collateral circulation beyond simply the relief of angina and provided further support of the potential for long term benefits from angiogenic therapy.

About Cardium

Cardium is an asset-based health sciences and regenerative medicine company focused on the acquisition and strategic development of innovative products and businesses with the potential to address significant unmet medical needs and having definable pathways to commercialization, partnering or other economic monetizations. Cardium’s current portfolio includes the Tissue Repair Company, Cardium Biologics, and the Company’s newly-acquired To Go Brands^® nutraceutical business. The Company’s lead commercial product, Excellagen^® topical gel for wound care management, has received FDA clearance for marketing and sale in the United States.  Cardium’s lead clinical development product candidate Generx^® is a DNA-based angiogenic biologic intended for the treatment of patients with myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery disease. To Go Brands^® develops, markets and sells dietary supplements through established regional and national retailers.  In addition, consistent with its capital-efficient business model, Cardium continues to actively evaluate new technologies and business opportunities. News from Cardium is located at www.cardiumthx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for statements of historical fact, the matters discussed in this press release are forward looking and reflect numerous assumptions and involve a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control and may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. For example, there can be no assurance that results or trends observed in one clinical study or procedure will be reproduced in subsequent studies or in actual use; that imaging endpoints will be accepted as a basis for product approval or that diagnostic information such as fractional flow reserve or collaterometry will lead to enhanced adoption of therapeutic angiogenesis; that new clinical studies will be successful or will lead to approvals or clearances from health regulatory authorities, or that approvals in one jurisdiction will help to support studies or approvals elsewhere; that the company can attract suitable commercialization partners for our products or that we or partners can successfully commercialize them; that our product or product candidates will not be unfavorably compared to competitive products that may be regarded as safer, more effective, easier to use or less expensive or blocked by third party proprietary rights or other means; that the products and product candidates referred to in this report or in our other reports will be successfully commercialized and their use reimbursed, or will enhance our market value; that our To Go Brands business can be successfully integrated and expanded; that new product opportunities or commercialization efforts will be successfully established; that third parties on whom we depend will perform as anticipated; that we can raise sufficient capital from partnering, monetization or other fundraising transactions to maintain our stock exchange listing or adequately fund ongoing operations; or that we will not be adversely affected by these or other risks and uncertainties that could impact our operations, business or other matters, as described in more detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof.

Copyright 2013 Cardium Therapeutics, Inc.  All rights reserved.
For Terms of Use Privacy Policy, please visit www.cardiumthx.com.

Cardium Therapeutics^®, Generx^®, Cardionovo^®, Tissue Repair™, Gene Activated Matrix™, Excellagen^®, Excellarate™, MedPodium^®, Linée^®, Alena^®, Cerex^®, D-Sorb™, Neo-Energy^®, Neo-Carb Bloc^®, Neo-Chill^™, and Nutra-Apps^®are trademarks of Cardium Therapeutics, Inc. or Tissue Repair Company.  To Go Brands^® is a trademark of To Go Brands, Inc. 

Other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

After bringing Excellagen® to market in March 2012, the company obtained ISO certification and signed a sales and distribution agreement with Academy Medical to market, sell and distribute the product to a growing base of over 35 U.S. government medical providers. Additional agreements were signed to commercialize Excellagen® in South Korea, and in the Russian Federation through BL&H Co. Ltd. and Advanced Biosciences Research, respectively.

Cardium also continues to expand awareness within the scientific community by creating a medical advisory board of leading practitioners, clinicians and researchers, as well as attending industry conferences like the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care and Wound Healing Society that it will present at between May 1^st and May 5^th in Denver Colorado.

Here’s the full press release announcing the presentation:

Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE MKT: CXM) today announced that the Company will present a poster demonstrating the clinical benefits of Excellagen^® in advanced regenerative wound management at The Symposium on Advanced Wound Care and Wound Healing Society (SAWC/WHS) meeting to be held May 1-5, 2013, in Denver, Colorado. The presentation titled “Accelerated Granulation and Healing of Problematic Post-Surgical Wounds with Formulated Collagen Gel 2.6%” was authored by Steven Smith, M.D., Mohs Surgeon, of Wellesley, MA, and will be presented by Lois Chandler, Ph.D., Cardium’s Vice President of Biologics Development.  The presentation highlights Excellagen’s capability of promoting rapid granulation and complete healing in three difficult and complex post-surgical wounds, including Mohs surgery and wound dehiscence, and concluded that Excellagen eliminated the need for costly secondary reconstruction and/or skilled nursing care.  The poster presentation can be viewed at www.excellagen.com/meetings-and-publications.html.

The 2013 Spring SAWC/WHS meeting provides Cardium with the opportunity to showcase its Excellagen advanced wound care product to more than 2,000 attendees, including physicians, podiatrists, nurses, therapists and researchers, who specialize in wound management.  Medical professionals and distributors can learn more about Excellagen by visiting Cardium’s representatives at Booth 1013.

About Excellagen
Excellagen is a novel syringe-based, professional-use, pharmaceutically-formulated 2.6% fibrillar Type I bovine collagen gel that functions as an acellular biological modulator to activate the wound healing process and significantly accelerate the growth of granulation tissue.  Excellagen’s FDA clearance provides for very broad labeling including partial and full-thickness wounds, pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, diabetic ulcers, chronic vascular ulcers, tunneled/undermined wounds, surgical wounds (donor sites/graft, post-Mohs surgery, post-laser surgery, podiatric, wound dehiscence), trauma wounds (abrasions, lacerations, second-degree burns and skin tears) and draining wounds.  Excellagen is intended for professional use following standard debridement procedures in the presence of blood cells and platelets, which are involved with the release of endogenous growth factors.  Excellagen’s unique fibrillar Type I bovine collagen gel formulation is topically applied through easy-to-control, pre-filled, sterile, single-use syringes and is designed for application at only one-week intervals.  Already-established standard CPT^® procedure reimbursement codes may apply when Excellagen is used with surgical debridement procedures and through the DRG reimbursement system for in-hospital surgical procedures.  Cardium is also moving forward with the reimbursement process for Excellagen with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and private insurance providers.

There have been important, positive findings reported by physicians using Excellagen as part of Cardium’s physician sampling, patient outreach and market “seeding” programs.  In several case studies, physicians reported a rapid onset of the growth of granulation tissue in a wide array of wounds, including non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (consistent with the results of Cardium’s Matrix clinical study), as well as pressure ulcers, venous ulcers and Mohs surgical wounds.  In certain cases, rapid granulation tissue growth and wound closure have been achieved with Excellagen following unsuccessful treatment with other advanced wound care approaches.  From a dermatology perspective, a previously unexplored vertical market, remarkable healing responses have been observed following Mohs surgery for patients diagnosed with squamous and basal cell carcinomas, including deep surgical wounds extending to the periosteum (a membrane that lines the outer surface of bones).  Additionally, because of the easy-use and platelet activating capacity, physicians have been employing Excellagen in severe non-healing wounds at near-amputation status, in combination with autologous platelet-rich plasma therapy and collagen sheet products.  These case studies and positive physician feedback provide additional support of Excellagen’s potential utility as an important new tool to help promote the wound healing process.  Excellagen case studies are available at http://www.excellagen.com/surgical-wounds.html.

About Cardium
Cardium is an asset-based health sciences and regenerative medicine company focused on the acquisition and strategic development of innovative products and businesses with the potential to address significant unmet medical needs and having definable pathways to commercialization, partnering or other economic monetizations. Cardium’s current portfolio includes the Tissue Repair Company, Cardium Biologics, and the Company’s newly-acquired To Go Brands^® nutraceutical business. The Company’s lead commercial product, Excellagen^® topical gel for wound care management, has received FDA clearance for marketing and sale in the United States.  Cardium’s lead clinical development product candidate Generx^® is a DNA-based angiogenic biologic intended for the treatment of patients with myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery disease. To Go Brands^® develops, markets and sells dietary supplements through established regional and national retailers.  In addition, consistent with its capital-efficient business model, Cardium continues to actively evaluate new technologies and business opportunities. News from Cardium is located at www.cardiumthx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Except for statements of historical fact, the matters discussed in this press release are forward looking and reflect numerous assumptions and involve a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control and may cause actual results to differ materially from stated expectations.  For example, there can be no assurance that awareness of and interest in Excellagen can be effectively enhanced through professional symposia or otherwise; that results or trends observed in a clinical study or follow-on case studies will be reproduced in subsequent studies or in actual use; that product reimbursement will be obtained; that new clinical studies will be successful or will lead to approvals or clearances from health regulatory authorities, or that approvals in one jurisdiction will help to support studies or approvals elsewhere; that we can attract suitable commercialization partners for our products or that such partners will successfully commercialize our products; that our exchange listing compliance can be maintained; that our product or product candidates will not be unfavorably compared to other competitive products that may be regarded as safer, more effective, easier to use or less expensive; that results or trends observed in one clinical study or procedure will be reproduced in subsequent studies or procedures or in actual use; that efforts to broaden commercialization of Excellagen outside of the United States will be successful; that clinical studies and regulatory clearances even if successful will lead to product advancement or partnering; that the FDA or other regulatory clearances or other certifications, or other commercialization efforts will effectively enhance our businesses or their market value; that our products or product candidates will prove to be sufficiently safe and effective after introduction into a broader patient population; that new collaborative partners will be found; that additional product opportunities will be established; or that that third parties on whom we depend will perform as anticipated.

Actual results may also differ substantially from those described in or contemplated by this press release due to risks and uncertainties that exist in our operations and business environment, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties that are inherent in the development of complex biologics, the conduct of human clinical trials and the introduction of new products, including the timing, costs and outcomes of such trials, our ability to obtain necessary funding, regulatory approvals and expected qualifications, our dependence upon proprietary technology, our history of operating losses and accumulated deficits, our reliance on collaborative relationships and critical personnel, and current and future competition, as well as other risks described from time to time in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  We undertake no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof.

Copyright 2013 Cardium Therapeutics, Inc.  All rights reserved.
For Terms of Use Privacy Policy, please visit www.cardiumthx.com.

Cardium Therapeutics^®, Generx^®, Cardionovo^®, Tissue Repair™, Gene Activated Matrix™, GAM™, Excellagen^®, Excellarate™, Osteorate™, MedPodium^®, Appexium^®, Linée^®, Alena^®, Cerex^®, D-Sorb™, Neo-Energy^®, Neo-Carb Bloc^®, Neo-Chill^™, and Nutra-Apps^®are trademarks of Cardium Therapeutics, Inc. or Tissue Repair Company.  To Go Brands^® is a trademark of To Go Brands, Inc.
Other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NASDAQ: RXII), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using RNA-targeted technologies, today announces that they will be presenting an overview of the use of sd-rxRNAs® in the eye and highlighting specifically RXi’s work in the areas of retinoblastoma and proliferative vitreoretinopathy. 

ARVO is the largest and most respected eye and vision research organization in the world. Their members include more than 12,750 researchers from over 80 countries. ARVO encourages and assists research, training, publication and knowledge-sharing in vision and ophthalmology. 

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using RNA-targeted technologies, today announced that the Company will be presenting an overview of the use of sd-rxRNAs® in the eye and highlighting specifically RXi’s work in the areas of retinoblastoma and proliferative vitreoretinopathy at the 2013 ARVO ( Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) Annual Meeting.

On Monday, May 6, 2013 at 9:45 am PDT, Michael Byrne, Ph.D., of RXi Pharmaceuticals, will deliver a speaker presentation entitled “Development of sd-rxRNA for Retinoblastoma Therapy” during the Retinoblastoma: Pre-Clinical Models and Targeted Therapies session. Dr. Byrne’s presentation will be available on the Company’s website.

On Thursday, May 9, 2013, 10:30-12:15 PDT, Dr. Byrne, along with collaborators Steven K. Fisher, Ph.D. and Geoffrey P. Lewis, Ph.D. from UCSB (University of California, Santa Barbara), will present a poster entitled “Novel Anti-CTGF RNAi Therapy for Treatment of Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and other Ocular Disorders” during the Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy session. The poster will be available on the Company’s website.

This conference is being held May 5-9, 2013 at the Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, WA. For more information visit: http://www.arvo.org

Contact:

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Tamara McGrillen, 508-929-3646
tmcgrillen@rxipharma.com

The Symposium will feature company Management and members of its Scientific Advisory Board, who will provide more details on RXi’s current clinical developments for RXI-109.  Company management expects to announce the formal transition of RXI-109 into a Phase 2 clinical development program at the symposium, which is another stride forward towards joining the ranks of successful, high-level market cap companies such as Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALNY) and Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: SRPT).

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using RNA-targeted technologies, today announced that it will hold its first Investor and Analyst Symposium.

During this meeting, the company Management and members of its Scientific Advisory Board will provide more details on RXi’s current clinical development compound for the treatment of dermal scarring, RXI-109, as well as insights into the company’s other research programs and their potential. “As mentioned on several occasions, RXi Pharmaceuticals will have the complete unblinded data of their two Phase 1 studies available around the middle of this year”, said Dr. Geert Cauwenbergh, President and CEO of the Company. He added that, “At this Investor and Analyst Symposium, we expect to announce the formal transition of RXI-109 into a Phase 2 clinical development program, and also provide more detail on the indications and patient population we will target in our Phase 2 studies. In addition the company will also give an update on its other earlier stage programs, with special emphasis on the ophthalmologic applications of its game changing self delivering RNAi platform.”

This event will be held on Friday July 12, 2013, from 11:00am to 2:00pm at the OTCQX Market Center, 304 Hudson Street, New York, NY. Registration is required to attend this event, please contact Tamara McGrillen at tmcgrillen@rxipharma.com or 508-929-3646. A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the “Investors” section of the Company’s website,www.rxipharma.com. A replay of the presentation will be available for 90 days.

About RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII) is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies based on its proprietary, self-delivering RNAi platform. Therapeutics that use RNA interference, or “RNAi,” have great promise because of their ability to down-regulate, the expression of a specific gene that may be over-expressed in a disease condition. Building on the pioneering work of scientific founder and Nobel Laureate Dr. Craig Mello, a member of the RXi Scientific Advisory Board, RXi’s first RNAi product candidate, RXI-109, which targets CTGF, entered into human clinical development in June 2012. For more information, please visit www.rxipharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future expectations, planned and future development of RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s products and technologies. Forward-looking statements about expectations and development plans of RXi’s products involve significant risks, and uncertainties: risks that RXi may not be able to successfully develop its candidates, or that development of RNAi-based therapeutics may be delayed or not proceed as planned, or that we may not develop any RNAi-based product; risks that the development process for our product candidates may be delayed, risks related to development and commercialization of products by our competitors, risks related to our ability to control timing and terms of collaborations with third parties, and the possibility that other companies or organizations may assert patent rights preventing us from developing our products. Actual results may differ from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements. RXi does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views, events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release.

Contact:

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Tamara McGrillen, 508-929-3646
tmcgrillen@rxipharma.com

Click Here to Read the Full Report or visit http://www.rxipharma.com/investors/reports/

According to the report, “the company has multiple commercialization opportunities to pursue and several milestone approaching,” due to its focus on connective tissue growth factor as a central player in fibrotic diseases. The analyst also suggested that the company might be considering a stock split to make it more suitable for institutional investors.

Griffin Securities is a research driven investment banking firm providing corporate finance, merger & acquisitions, account management, trading and research services for institutional, corporate and private clients. The New York City-based firm is also registered with both FINRA and the SIPC, with a very experienced management and research team.

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII) is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies based on its proprietary, self-delivering RNAi platform. Therapeutics that use RNA interference, or “RNAi,” have great promise because of their ability to down-regulate, the expression of a specific gene that may be over-expressed in a disease condition. Building on the pioneering work of scientific founder and Nobel Laureate Dr. Craig Mello, a member of the RXi Scientific Advisory Board, RXi’s first RNAi product candidate, RXI-109, which targets CTGF, entered into human clinical development in June 2012.

For more information, please visit www.rxipharma.com

In this article, we’ll take a look at RNA and its potential therapeutic potential, analyze how RXi Pharmaceuticals’ RNAi-based platforms and compounds improve upon the current therapeutics, and then take a look at why investors might be interested.

What Exactly Is RNA?

Ribonucleic acid (“RNA”) is a macromolecule that performs multiple vital roles in the coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. When cells need to produce proteins, they activate the portion of DNA that codes for a given protein, which produces multiple copies of that piece of DNA in the form of messenger RNA, or mRNA. These mRNA are then used to translate the genetic code into protein using the cells’ manufacturing ribosomes.

Aside from acting as a DNA photocopier for protein manufacturing, RNA can act as an enzyme (“ribozyme”) to speed up chemical reactions. The macromolecule also plays an important role in regulating cell processes, while defects in RNA have been implicated in a number of clinically important diseases, including heart disease, some cancers, stroke and others. As a result, RNA has come to the forefront of clinical research over the past few years.

RNA Interface and Its Applications

A particularly interesting area of RNA research is RNA interference (“RNAi”), which is a biological process where RNA molecules inhibit gene expression by destroying mRNA. These processes can play an important role in not only defending cells against viruses and other parasitic nucleotide sequences, but also in directing gene expression on a more generic level. In diseases where certain genes are overexpressed, for instance, RNAi may be able to help regulate them.

By 2002, RNAi was selected as the “Breakthrough of the Year” by the journal Science, bringing the new process into the limelight. And in 2006, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to the co-discoverers of RNAi, including Dr. Craig Mello, a co-founder of RXi Pharmaceuticals. The novel approach to drug development processes enables scientists to potentially highly selectively treat any one of the thousands of human genes, including those untouchable using other modalities.

Breakthrough Platform Technology

The problem with RNAi therapeutics has traditionally been delivering the compounds to the right areas in the body. While encapsulating RNA in a lipid-based particle has improved circulation time and cellular uptake, the process remains far from efficient at achieving the desired response rate in a reasonable amount of time. Apart from increasing side effect profiles of the treatments, these additional delivery vehicles also add uncertainty to the compound’s overall efficacy depending on various conditions.

RXi Pharmaceuticals has taken an entirely different approach by building drug-like properties in to the RNAi compound itself. These “self-delivering”, proprietary, and novel compounds have been developed under the trade name sd-rxRNA®. The company’s suite of such compounds can be used to treat a variety of acute and chronic diseases, using both local and systemic administration, providing a significant competitive advantage in the field.

Robust Therapeutic Pipeline

RXi Pharmaceuticals has developed a robust therapeutic pipeline led by RXI-109, a self-delivering RNAi compound (sd-rxRNA®) being developed for the reduction of dermal scarring in planned surgeries. In two Phase I clinical trials, the compound was well tolerated with no serious local or systemic side effects observed, and the company expects to report full top-line results during the second quarter of this year, with Phase II clinical trials following afterwards.

Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs to prevent scar formation, meaning a therapeutic of this type could have great benefit for trauma and surgical patients, as a treatment during the surgical revision of existing unsatisfactory scars, and in the treatment, removal and inhibition of keloids – scars that extend beyond the original skin injury. With approximately 42 million surgical procedures per year, the market could be worth up to $4 billion annually in the U.S.

The company also has a number of other earlier stage therapeutic candidates in development, but remains largely focused on developing its RXI-109 before investing significant time and capital into them. These assets encompass those purchased in March of 2013 from OPKO Health, including 12 patent families with claims relating to important biological targets believed to play a role in diseases of the eye, cancer, immune disorders and inflammation.

Potential Investment Opportunity

RNA plays an important role in gene expression, making it an important clinical target for therapeutics companies. With its robust clinical pipeline and extensive experience with RNAi, RXi Pharmaceuticals represents a unique play on the space. The company’s lead candidate has significant promise targeting a large $4 billion per year market with no FDA-approved treatments, while its innovative platform yield significant long-term potential in many areas.

For more information, please see the following resources:

• Company Website
• Recent SEC Filings

“The National Football League Alumni Association is focused on this serious health issue, which is destroying quality of life and has tragically led to several high-profile suicides just this past year among our members,” said Lee Nystrom, Chairman of the Board, Emeritus of the NFL Alumni Association, and former Green Bay Packer. “The NFL Alumni Association is excited to be working with Neuralstem on this cutting-edge technology.  We are committed to pursuing both basic research into traumatic brain injury as well as pushing the envelope to create therapies that can improve the quality of life for our members afflicted with these diseases.”

“We are very pleased to join with the NFL Alumni Association to work towards developing a  treatment for traumatic brain injury among their members and others. Traumatic brain injuries have become the subject of increased public attention recently, especially with regard to both members of the military and football players,” said Richard Garr, Neuralstem’s president and CEO. “These injuries can result in long-term and serious loss of cognitive function, depression, a shorter life span and, sadly, death by suicide in some cases. In addition to finding ways to better prevent such injuries, it is imperative that we provide new and improved ways to treat those with such neurological trauma.”

About NSI-189

NSI-189 is the first in a class of compounds that Neuralstem is developing into orally administered drugs. In mice, NS1-189 both stimulated neurogenesis of the hippocampus and increased its overall volume. Additionally, NS1-189 stimulated neurogenesis of human hippocampus-derived neural stem cells in-vitro. Therefore, NS1-189 may reverse the human hippocampal atrophy seen in MDD and TBI. The NS1-189 pre-clinical program received significant support from both the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

About The NS1-189/Major Depressive Disorder Trial

The NS1-189/MDD Phase I trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose escalating trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effect of NS1-189 in the treatment of MDD. Phase Ia tested escalating doses of single administration of NS1-189 in 41 healthy patients. Phase Ib is currently testing the safety of escalating doses of NS1-189 for 28 daily administrations in 24 depressed patients.

About Neuralstem

Neuralstem’s patented technology enables 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 constitutively into mature, physiologically relevant human neurons and glia. Neuralstem completed an FDA-approved Phase I safety clinical trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in February 2013, and has received FDA approval to begin Phase II. Neuralstem has been awarded orphan status designation by the FDA for its ALS cell therapy.

In addition to ALS, the company is also targeting major central nervous system conditions with its NSI-566 cell therapy platform, including spinal cord injury, ischemic stroke and glioblastoma (brain cancer). The company received approval to commence a Phase I safety trial in chronic spinal cord injury in January 2013.

Neuralstem also has the ability to generate stable human neural stem cell lines suitable for the systematic screening of large chemical libraries. Through this proprietary screening technology, Neuralstem has discovered and patented compounds that may stimulate the brain’s capacity to generate new neurons, possibly reversing the pathologies of some central nervous system conditions.  The company is in the last cohort of a Phase Ib safety trial evaluating NSI-189, its first neurogenic small molecule compound, for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Additional indications could include traumatic brain injury (TBI), Alzheimer’s disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For more information, please visit www.neuralstem.com or connect with us on Twitter, Facebookand LinkedIn

About The NFL Alumni Association

The NFL Alumni Association (http://www.nflalumniplayers.com/) is a 501(c)(5) organization that serves as a passionate advocate for greater quality of life benefits for all former NFL players. The association eagerly pursues greater benefits and the implementation of programmatic services devoted to enhancing the health, productive acuity of retired NFL players and their families.

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-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

 The process goes something like this: adipose tissue is collected from patients of American Cryostem’s international partners and shipped to the company’s laboratory and storage facilities in New Jersey. There, the tissue is cultured and processed for a number of uses. In this case, the patients are using personalized skin care products developed in collaboration with Personal Cell Sciences Corp., so American Cryostem cultures the stem cells contained in the tissue for this purpose. The patient gets skin care products developed from their own stem cells. At the same time, the company stores and preserves both adipose tissues and stem cell cultures for future uses. These could include stem cell therapies (either existing or yet-to-be-developed) as well as cosmetic enhancements using the patient’s own fat tissues.

This unique, end-to-end service puts American Cryostem right in the middle of several potential revenue streams. Through the partnership with Personal Cell Sciences, the company competes in the stem cell based cosmeceutical market with products like International Stem Cell Corporation’s (OTCBB: ISCO) Lifeline Skin Care. The adipose tissue storage service establishes a niche in an industry dominated by giants like Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE), and the stem cell processing and banking service puts the company in a quickly emerging market with companies like Neostem, Inc. (NYSE MKT: NBS).

 American Cryostem combines all of these industry niches into one intriguing company, definitely worth a look as autologous stem cell treatments gain traction around the world. We wrote about these emerging markets at length not too long ago, take a look at our article for some background.

To sign up to receive more information about American Cryostem, please visit: http://www.emerginggrowthcorp.com/emailassets/cryo/cryo_landing.php

Here’s the release…

American CryoStem Corporation, a leading strategic developer, marketer and global licensor of patented adipose tissue-based cellular technologies for the Regenerative and Personalized Medicine industries, today announced receipt of its first commercial international shipment of adipose tissue for processing and long term cryo-storage.

The master sample was shipped to the Company by BALS (Biomedical and Life Sciences) Institute (BALS), a Hong Kong-based regenerative medicine company and client of Personal Cell Sciences Corp. (PCS), the developer of U-Autologous(TM) skin care products and formulations. The product uses an individual’s own adult stem cells to create and supply that individual with his or her own personalized anti-aging skin care line.

As part of the previously announced contract manufacturing arrangement between American CryoStem and PCS, American CryoStem is responsible for clinically testing, processing, culturing and storing samples shipped from PCS clients to create Autokine-CM(TM), the key ingredient in theU-Autologous formulation. BALS Institute has teamed with PCS to ensure the people in Greater China gain access to safe, quality and effective life science technologies through partnerships with leading international corporations.

“American CryoStem has committed extensive resources to establishing and perfecting our international shipping methodologies and protocols, ensuring that our processes meet the highest possible standards of regulatory compliance for shipment of biologic materials,” stated John Arnone, Chairman and CEO of American CryoStem. “As a result, our FDA registered laboratory and cryo-storage facilities in New Jersey are now able to send and receive viable tissue samples to and from clients globally.”

Continuing, Arnone added, “The receipt of our first international shipment from BALS Institute marks a very important milestone in our Company’s commercial development and triggers what we expect will be rapid global expansion of our proprietary platform for clinical processing and commercial bio-banking of adipose tissue.”

Mathew Fan, Director of Marketing and Corporate Development for BALS Institute, stated, “We are committed to providing our clients with the most advanced life science treatments and products from around the globe. Working in close collaboration with leading world class companies, such as American CryoStem and Personal Cell Sciences, provides great comfort to our clients, knowing that their stem cells are safely processed, tested and stored in a United States facility for their future use.”

About BALS Institute

Based in Hong Kong, BALS (Biomedical and Life Sciences) Institute, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong-listed company HK Life Science and Technology Group Limited, is a healthcare operational platform providing medical professionals in China access to the latest developments in life science and biomedical technology available in the world today. For more information, please go to www.bals-institute.com.

About Personal Cell Sciences Corp. (PCS)

Personal Cell Sciences Corp. (PCS) is a privately held Life Sciences company dedicated to the development and distribution of personalized Adipose Derived Stem Cell-based anti-aging, topical skin care products formulated using an individual’s own stem cells. PCS not only produces unique skin care products, branded under its U Autologous(TM) skin care line, but it also helps prepare individuals for the future of Regenerative Medicine by cryogenically storing a clinical grade sample of an individual’s adult stem cells through its affiliation with American CryoStem Corporation. For more information, go to www.personalcellsciences.com.

About American CryoStem Corporation

A pioneer in the fields of Regenerative and Personalized Medicine, American CryoStem is a developer, marketer and global licensor of patented adipose tissue-based cellular technologies and related proprietary services with a focus on clinical processing, commercial bio-banking and application development for adipose (fat) tissue and autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs). The Company maintains a strategic portfolio of intellectual property and patent applications that form its Adipose Tissue Processing Platform, which supports and promotes a growing pipeline of biologic products and processes, clinical services and international licensing opportunities. Through its ACS Laboratories division, the Company operates an FDA registered, cGMP compliant human tissue processing, cryo-storage, cell culture and differentiation media development facility in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. For more information, please visitwww.americancryostem.com and www.acslaboratories.com.

In addition to its stock price more than doubling since May of 2012, the company has advanced its lead candidate RXI-109 through Phase I clinical trials and reported promising initial data. The addition of H. Paul Dorman and Curtis Lockshin to its Board of Directors promises to help further support the development of this drug and others in its robust pipeline, with their deep industry expertise at companies like OPKO Health Inc. (NYSE: OPK).

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using RNA-targeted technologies, today announced that H. Paul Dorman and Curtis Lockshin, Ph.D. have been appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Dorman and Dr. Lockshin both bring significant industry experience that will be instrumental to supporting RXi’s growth and development initiatives.

Mr. Dorman brings nearly three decades of executive experience in the pharmaceutical industry with Johnson & Johnson and Baxter, in various leadership roles, to RXi. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO of DFB Pharmaceuticals, a Fort Worth, TX based holding company that, over the last 20 years, has successfully invested in and operated multiple pharmaceutical businesses. In that role, he acquired several companies, three of which were turned around to profitability, from Chapter 11 status at acquisition, and later sold to a large, multi-national, public corporation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tulane University and a Juris Doctor of Law from Loyola University. “Mr. Dorman is one of the remarkable icons in the healthcare industry and we are thrilled to have him join our Board,” said Dr. Geert Cauwenbergh, President and CEO of RXi Pharmaceuticals. He added that, “Paul’s experience and network in both the large and small pharma world, as well as his wisdom in leading companies to success, will be major contributing factors to the RXi Board of Directors and the growth of our Company.”

Dr. Lockshin comes to RXi providing exceptional industry insight and functional, hands-on experience. Most recently, he has been an Independent Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Consultant for OPKO Health, Inc. Prior to this role, Dr. Lockshin served as Vice President, Corporate R&D Initiatives for OPKO Health, Inc., with operational responsibilities inside several of OPKO’s R&D units. He currently serves as a Director of the Ruth K. Broad Biomedical Research Foundation, a Duke University Support Corporation. He previously served as a Director of Sorrento Therapeutics and Winston Pharmaceuticals. He initially began his career as a scientist with Sepracor and eventually became the research director responsible for the strategy and operations of Sepracor’s new leads initiative. He is a Co-Inventor on several U.S. patents and applications, covering pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, and optics for remote biochemical sensing. Dr. Lockshin holds a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Dr. Lockshin has an impressive career track record in research and development of new drugs”, commented Dr. Geert Cauwenbergh. “With RXi Pharmaceuticals in the midst of a game changing drug in development with RXI-109 for dermal scarring, Curt will provide valuable insights into the development of our drugs. With Paul Dorman and Curt Lockshin joining our current Board members Bob Bitterman and Keith Brownlie, RXi Pharmaceuticals has a well rounded Board of Directors with an appropriate balance of all key elements needed for success.”

About RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RXII) is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies based on its proprietary, self-delivering RNAi platform. Therapeutics that use RNA interference, or “RNAi,” have great promise because of their ability to down-regulate, the expression of a specific gene that may be over-expressed in a disease condition. Building on the pioneering work of scientific founder and Nobel Laureate Dr. Craig Mello, a member of the RXi Scientific Advisory Board, RXi’s first RNAi product candidate, RXI-109, which targets CTGF, entered into human clinical development in June 2012. For more information, please visit www.rxipharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future expectations, planned and future development of RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s products and technologies. Forward-looking statements about expectations and development plans of RXi’s products involve significant risks, and uncertainties: risks that RXi may not be able to successfully develop its candidates, or that development of RNAi-based therapeutics may be delayed or not proceed as planned, or that we may not develop any RNAi-based product; risks that the development process for our product candidates may be delayed, risks related to development and commercialization of products by our competitors, risks related to our ability to control timing and terms of collaborations with third parties, and the possibility that other companies or organizations may assert patent rights preventing us from developing our products. Actual results may differ from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements. RXi does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views, events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release.

Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CYTX) recently received a new patent protecting its technology using adipose-derived regenerative cells, or “ADRCs,” for a broad range of renal disorders, including acute kidney disease and chronic kidney disease. Cytori’s laboratory research shows that ADRCs can improve renal function and reduce mortality in acute kidney injury, with a survival rate of 100 percent versus only 57 percent in the control group. This type of data signals the potential of stem cells derived from adipose tissue and certainly merits greater examination.As more research is conducted on adipose stem cells, the industry could be aligning for a transformational shift away from harvesting stem cells from bone marrow or other expensive, invasive and painful points of origin towards the easily obtained adipose tissue. This type of adult stem cells can divide and regenerate into multiple types of cells and have an extensive self-renewal capacity. This development is going to increase demand from companies already well positioned in the industry, such as American CryoStem (OTCQB: CRYO), a company focused on providing clinical processing and storage of adipose tissue and adult stem cells.American CryoStem poses an interesting proposition through its prescient decisions to build itself a full-scale enterprise by leveraging several components of adipose-based stem cells in high-growth areas. Its processing and cryopreservation facilities are being used to grow its presence across a wide array of industries, including cosmetic and reconstructive procedures; wound healing, PCS skin care and cell culture media; and the broad regenerative medicine and cell therapy arena. Each is particularly attractive in its own right.

For starters, the company has several patents protecting its adipose-based medium for cell cultures. The most widely used medium today for storing and growing cell cultures for in vitro diagnostics is fetal bovine serum, raising questions about utilizing animals for the medium as well as potential cross-contamination debates. American CryoStem quells any of those discussions with its proprietary human albumin product and puts them in the thick of the $2.3-billion cell culture market.

American CryoStem is generating revenue from it presence in the cosmetic and plastic surgery industry with its newly launched ATGRAFT™ fat storage and retrieval service. With one liposuction, patients can now store their excess tissue for their physician to performed multiple fat transfers The topic of using your own tissue has been hot for years, but ever since Suzanne Somers became the first woman in America to lose her breast to cancer and undergo breast reconstruction surgery using adipose tissue in 2011, the topic of autologous (patient derived) fat transfer to the breast has been rampant. Somers has stated that her “new breast” is very similar to the one she had before cancer. It’s not just re-growing a breast that is possible with adipose tissue, the door to many areas of reconstructive or cosmetic surgery are opened. The U.S. market alone for cosmetic procedures is projected by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. to hit $17.6 billion in 2015 with another $2.7 billion in cosmetic surgery products. Worldwide, it’s a $30.5 billion market today and projected to grow at nearly 8 percent annually. American CryoStem already has a footprint in that industry through its partnership with Personal Cell Sciences and it’s network of nation wide physicians for its ATGRAFT™ fat transfer/storage procedures. The technology has garnered wide national exposure through publications like Glamour, Allure, Elle and Forbes, including Forbes recognizing Personal Cell Science’s U Autologous Skin Care as a Top 10 Fashion and Beauty Startup of 2012.

Back to glioblastoma and other treatment for other indications, it’s well known that mesenchymal cells are hawkish in seeking out damaged cells and have the potential to serve as a drug delivery system to treat those cells. If the research of Johns Hopkins starts to get dialed-in with more supportive data, it could change the landscape of oncology (and other indications) as we know it today.

The body has an acute ability to mend itself, but regenerative medicine has been brushed aside to some extent as scientists persistently remained focused on small molecule and other therapies for curative technologies. While the emergence of regenerative medicine by no means implies that traditional biotechnology is going anywhere or that it doesn’t provide a benefit, there is no denying that regenerative medicine is moving front and center over the past few years. While many companies are targeting specific therapeutics and could find themselves with “all their eggs in one basket,” American CryoStem has taken a road somewhat less traveled and diversified their operations to capitalize on what adipose-based stem cells have to offer across various segments both now and in the future.

Please click here to receive more information on American Cryostem:
http://www.emerginggrowthcorp.com/emailassets/cryo/cryo_landing.php

As disclosed in yesterday’s SEC form 8-K submission, we entered into a subcontract agreement with Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle) to provide services underlying a $22.8 million prime contract that was recently awarded to Battelle by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The objective of this contract program is to integrate component technologies developed in DARPA’s Dialysis Like Therapeutics (DLT) program into medical device that would save military and civilian lives by effectively treating sepsis. Beyond expanding our opportunity in the DLT program, we are honored to have the opportunity to work with Battelle (the world’s largest independent research and development organization) on this endeavor.

We were previously awarded a $6.8 million contract from DARPA to develop two technology components in the DLT program. Our first component objective has been the development of a therapeutic cartridge that selectively eliminates septic precursors, bacterial toxins, viral pathogens, and disease enhancing exosomes from the entire circulatory system. Our second component objective is the creation of a blood processing system that would allow for the delivery of various extracorporeal therapies without the need to administer systemic anticoagulants.  We are now in year two of this five-year contract and have achieved eleven DLT milestone objectives to date.

On a different front, I am pleased to share that we resubmitted an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 25th.  Our goal is to receive permission to initiate a clinical feasibility study of Hepatitis-C (HCV) infected individuals who would be enrolled to receive Hemopurifier® therapy. An update on this effort should be available in the coming weeks.  As reported from clinical studies conducted overseas, a three-treatment Hemopurifier® protocol administered in combination with interferon-based standard-of-care resulted in undetectable HCV in as little at seven days in hard to treat genotype-1 patients.

The proven ability of our Hemopurifier® to capture a broad-spectrum of viral pathogens (see:www.aethlonmedical.com/assets/001/5040.pdf ) might also set the stage for us to revisit opportunities related to the treatment of drug and vaccine resistant agents.  While funding for many healthcare programs has been cut as a result of sequestration, I am pleased to report that the funding spigot for countermeasures against bioterror and pandemic threats has been turned back on.  Last month, The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act (PAHPRA) of 2013 was signed into law by President Obama. The law reauthorizes provisions of the Project Bioshield Act of 2004 and extends the mandate of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support medical countermeasure development for biothreat agents for possible inclusion in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile. PAHPRA also enhances the authority of the FDA to support rapid responses to public health emergencies by clarifying that even before an event occurs, FDA may issue an emergency use authorization to allow emergency use of certain products as medical countermeasures. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that $11 billion will be spent on PAHPRA between fiscal years 2014 to 2018.

The scope of PAHPRA 2013 legislation includes the support of treatment countermeasures against bioterror threats created by man as well as naturally emerging threats, such as the H7N9 strain of bird flu that has triggered 13 reported deaths in China.  Health officials are concerned that humans may have no natural immunity to H7N9, as it had not been previously detected in humans. Additionally, clinical trials of candidate vaccines against other H7 viral strains have not been able to induce an immune response, even when administered in very large doses.  And, unlike the recent H5N1 bird flu outbreak, the H7N9 strain does not seem does not seem to cause significant illness in birds themselves.  As a result, tracking and containing the spread of the virus could be an immense challenge.   The good news is that H7N9 has not evolved to spread easily within human populations. However, it establishes a compelling rationale for why emerging non-vaccine technologies such as our Hemopurifier® need to be tested.  Previously, the Hemopurifier® was validated to capture the H5N1 bird flu virus, the H1N1 swine flu virus and the reconstructed Spanish flu virus of 1918, which triggered the deaths of approximately 50 million people worldwide.

About Aethlon Medical
Aethlon Medical creates innovative medical devices that address unmet medical needs in cancer, infectious disease, and other life-threatening conditions. Our Aethlon ADAPT™ System is a revenue-stage technology platform that provides the basis for a new class of devices the rapid, yet selective removal of disease promoting particles from the entire circulatory system.  At present, The Aethlon ADAPT™ product pipeline includes the Aethlon Hemopurifier® to address infectious disease and cancer, and a medical device being developed under a 5-year contract with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to reduce the incidence of sepsis in combat-injured soldiers.  For more information, please visit www.aethlonmedical.com.

About The Aethlon Hemopurifier®
The Aethlon Hemopurifier® is a first-in-class medical device that selectively targets the rapid clearance of infectious viral pathogens and immunosuppressive proteins from the entire circulatory system.  In the treatment of Hepatitis C virus (HCV), human studies have demonstrated that Hemopurifier® therapy may improve immediate, rapid and sustained virologic response rates when administered in the first few days of standard-of-care drug therapy.   In addition to accelerating viral load depletion, post-treatment analysis of the Hemopurifier® has documented the capture of up to 300 billion HCV copies of HCV during a single six-hour treatment.  Access to Hemopurifier® therapy is available on a compassionate-use basis through the Medanta Medicity Institute (Medicity), a leading center for medical tourism in India.  The Medicity is offering treatment access to infected individuals who previously failed or subsequently relapsed standard-of-care drug regimens.  The Hemopurifier® is also being offered as a salvage therapy to infected individuals who suffer a viral breakthrough during standard-of-care therapy. U.S. studies of the Hemopurifier® are currently pending approval of an IDE submitted to FDA.

The Aethlon Hemopurifier® and Cancer
In addition to the opportunity to address a broad-spectrum of infectious viral pathogens, the Hemopurifier® has been discovered to capture tumor-derived exosomes underlying several forms of cancer.  Tumor-derived exosomes have recently emerged to be a vital therapeutic target in cancer care. These microvesicular particles suppress the immune response in cancer patients through apoptosis of immune cells and their quantity in circulation correlates directly with disease progression. Beyond possessing immunosuppressive properties, tumor-derived exosomes facilitate tumor growth, metastasis, and the development of drug resistance.  By addressing this unmet medical need, the Hemopurifier® is positioned as an adjunct to improve established cancer treatment regimens.

Separate research on leading cholesterol busters in high doses, like AstraZeneca plc’s (NYSE: AZN) Crestor or Merck & Co.’s (NYSE: MRK) Zocor, has detailed substantial risks related to kidney failure or injury, elevated blood sugar levels, liver damage and more.  In fact, research through the ASTEROID and SATURN studies has put forth not only questions of the effectiveness of statins, but suggested that statins may have a negative effect overall as discussed in a research report by Crystal Research Associates, LLC on AtheroNova Inc. (OTCQB: AHRO).

View the Crystal Research Associates Business Review on AtheroNova here: http://www.crystalra.com/Portals/150154/docs/atheronova-ahro-quarterly-update-04-05-2013.pdf

As is typical, big pharma is looking to create reformulations to improve the efficacy and safety profiles of their blockbuster drugs as well as bolster their intellectual property portfolio to shelter the company from generics.  Such is the case with Merck’s IMPROVE-IT study, evaluating Vytorin (a combination of its Zetia and Zocor drugs) with Zocor alone to reduce heart attacks and strokes in high-cholesterol patients.

This doesn’t appear to be the right path.  It’s time to build a better cholesterol mousetrap and shift focus away reductions in enzyme production in the liver to combat LDL cholesterol.  AtheroNova is initiating a Phase I clinical trial for their flagship compound, AHRO-001, as a new therapeutic that demonstrates delipidization, the dissolving of plaque within arterial walls and safe removal through the metabolic process.

A synthesis of a naturally occurring bile salt, AHRO-001 has shown in laboratory studies to provide a therapeutic benefit while being well tolerated, even in high doses.  The drug is in the same classification as Ursodiol, the only drug with FDA approval as a treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis, perhaps giving it a competitive edge as it maneuvers down the regulatory pathway.

Learn More and Sign Up to Follow AtheroNova (AHRO) here:  http://www.emerginggrowthcorp.com/emailassets/ahro/ahro_landing.php

The possible implications of a new, disruptive cholesterol-fighting drug are obviously enormous.  While many big companies like Merck continue to pursue the PCSK9-inhibitor route to block LDL cholesterol production, AtheroNova is taking a different approach…one that could substantially change the landscape of atherosclerosis and its deadly effects.  If Merck’s study fails to provide statistically significant data on the reduction of occurrence rates of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events related to cholesterol, one has to wonder if the FDA will approve another drug that can only reduce LDL cholesterol levels.  It could also derail the efforts of other major pharma, causing them to re-think the approach and possibly start looking in different directions.

At that point, AtheroNova should be uniquely poised to attract big pharma with their accumulation of clinical data on AHRO-001.

In a market dominated by statin-makers like Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK), the company’s fresh approach to treating atherosclerosis and cholesterol levels has attracted a lot of talent for its advisory board. In the press release below, the company announced the addition to John Kastelein, who will also be an investigator for its trials.

AtheroNova Inc. (OTCBB:AHRO), a biotech company focused on the research and development of compounds to safely regress atherosclerotic plaque and improve lipid profiles in humans, today announced that John J.P. Kastelein, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine at the Department of Vascular Medicine at the Academic Medical Center and Strategic Chair of Genetics in Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Amsterdam, has joined the Company as a member of the Medical Advisory Board and will be a Co-Principal Investigator in the Company’s upcoming clinical trials.

“We are pleased to announce that Dr. Kastelein has joined AtheroNova in this very important advisory role as we continue to expand our scientific and medical teams essential for transition to a clinical stage company,” stated Thomas W. Gardner, CEO of AtheroNova. “Dr. Kastelein’s leadership in the area of lipidology and his Lipid Research Clinic in Amsterdam has been an integral part of many atherogenesis studies including IDEAL, TNT, CAPTIVATE, ENHANCE, ILLUMINATE, JUPITER and RADIANCE.  We feel that adding Dr. Kastelein to the AtheroNova team is significant in its impact on the knowledge he will contribute to our clinical efforts.”

“Professor Kastelein is world renowned for his cutting edge clinical care of cardiovascular patients and for his pioneering clinical research activities that have contributed to a very significant reduction in the ravages of cardiovascular disease in this decade,” commented Mark K. Wedel, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of AtheroNova.  “We are honored that John will be bringing his talents and leadership to AtheroNova’s efforts to further improve the plight of cardiovascular patients.”

“I was initially attracted to AtheroNova by the team that they are building, including my colleagues Dr. Mark Wedel and Dr. Steve Nicholls,” remarked Dr. Kastelein.  “AtheroNova’s science, though early-stage, has a chance to become an important part of the treatment of cardiovascular disease. I am looking forward to building on the research success of AHRO-001 and the opportunity to evaluate the drug in clinical trials.”

Dr. Kastelein is Professor of Medicine at the Department of Vascular Medicine at the Academic Medical Center (AMC) of the University of Amsterdam, where he holds the Strategic Chair of Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease.  He founded the Lipid Research Clinic at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam in 1989 which has become part of the department of Vascular Medicine.  Last year he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Dutch Heart Foundation and awarded a CVON grant.  He was president of the Dutch Atherosclerosis Society (DAS) until 2009 and chairs the National Scientific Committee on Familial Hypercholesterolemia (EHC). He also is a member of the Royal Dutch Society for Medicine & Physics, the Council for Basic Science of the American Heart Association and the European Atherosclerosis Society. He also is a board member of the International Task Force for CHD Prevention and was recently appointed to the Executive Board of the International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS) and Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology.

Dr. Kastelein’s current research interests can be found in the etiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and low HDL cholesterol, all conditions associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.  He has published over 700 research papers in peer reviewed journals, including Nature Genetics, Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and Circulation.

Besides the scientific programs aimed at the etiology of atherogenesis, Dr. Kastelein also serves on a number of executive and steering committees of large intervention studies, including the IDEAL, TNT, CAPTIVATE, ENHANCE, ILLUMINATE, JUPITER, RADIANCE and numerous others of which TNT (2005), RADIANCE 1 (2007), ENHANCE (2008) and JUPITER (2008) are published in the New England Journal of Medicine, IDEAL (2006) in JAMA and RADIANCE 2 (2007) in Lancet. He also serves as an International Associate Editor of the European Heart Journal.

Dr. Kastelein was also one of the founders of Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics Inc. (AMT), a gene therapy company based on the concept of gene replacement in hereditary lipoprotein disorders. AMT was a successful Initial Public Offering (IPO) at EuroNext in Amsterdam in 2007. The results of the first successful human gene therapy trial were widely publicized in the media and were published in ATVB in 2008.  Furthermore, this gene therapy (Glybera) has now been approved by the European commission and constitutes the first approved gene therapy worldwide.  Dr. Kastelein also founded Dezima Inc., a company that develops assets for the treatment of dyslipidemia and is currently developing TA-8995, a CETP inhibitor.  In 1995, Dr. Kastelein set up a foundation for the active identification of patients with classical familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in the Netherlands (StoeH), for which he currently holds a position in the board of directors. This program has now been fully institutionalized and is financially supported by the Ministry of Health with a total grant of approximately 30 million Euros. Since its inception, the StoeH has found over 27,000 individuals for whom a molecular diagnosis of FH could be made. The subsequent improvement of the treatment of these FH carriers has saved many lives, as published in Lancet in 2001 and very recently in the British Medical Journal in 2008.  In 1997 and 1998 while serving as a visiting Professor at the Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, Dr. Kastelein was a co-founder of Xenon Genetics Inc., a drug discovery company (now Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.) based in Vancouver, Canada.

He received his medical degree in Amsterdam in 1980 where he subsequently received specialty training in internal medicine. Then, between 1986 and 1988, he was trained in medical genetics, lipidology and molecular biology at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver under the guidance of Prof. Dr. M.R. Hayden.

About AtheroNova

AtheroNova Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, AtheroNova Operations, Inc., is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, research, development and licensing of novel compounds to reduce or regress atherosclerotic plaque deposits and to safely improve lipid profiles in humans. In addition to its lead compound AHRO-001, AtheroNova plans to develop multiple applications for its patents-pending therapies in market sectors that include: Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, Peripheral Artery Disease, Dementia and Alzheimer’s and Erectile Dysfunction, all of which have been linked to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis and its related pharmaceutical expenses for these indications cost consumers more than $41 billion annually in the United States alone. For more information, please visit www.AtheroNova.com.

The show is an important arena for the company as it expands its network of referring physicians. American Cryostem has been flying under the investment radar while developing the business but the connections already made within the medical community have built a solid foundation for expansion. Keep an eye on CRYO as they compete in the stem cell space with companies like Neo Stem, Inc. (NYSE MKT: NBS) and Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYTX) (processing and banking), and International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCQB: ISCO) (cosmetics). We will be writing more in this space about the company’s competitive advantages in the weeks to come.

Here is the release… 

American CryoStem Corporation, a leading biotech company in the field of Regenerative Medicine, today announced that the Company is scheduled to exhibit at The Aesthetic Meeting 2013, held this week, April 11-16^th in New York City, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The Company will be showcasing its latest adipose tissue (fat) collection, processing and storage service, ATGRAFT(TM) and complimentary personalized skin care products. With one liposuction, ATGRAFT(TM) is a complete fat tissue storage solution for physicians to perform layered fat transfers and provides patients additional opportunities to use their stored fat tissue to create personalized skin care products or clinically processed stem cells for use in Regenerative Medicine treatments.

This premier event for surgeons, is to learn and be updated on the latest news, technologies and trends in the cosmetic industry. These informative sessions are straight from plastic surgeons that specialize in aesthetic plastic surgery and are on the cutting edge of new technologies and methodologies. This year is especially poignant and effective, offering the hottest topics and procedures in the industry. The week entails ideas in improvement in patient safety, overall efficiency, with innovative practice and skill enhancements. The Aesthetic Meeting is hosted by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), and will disclose some of the most exciting new developments in the fields of health and beauty.

If you are a physician and would like to receive information concerning the conference or American CryoStem’s ATGRAFT(TM) service, please email info@americancryostem.com, or contact John DiFolco at 732-747-1007.

About American CryoStem Corporation

A pioneer in the fields of Regenerative and Personalized Medicine, American CryoStem is a developer, marketer and global licensor of patented adipose tissue based cellular technologies and related proprietary services with a focus on clinical processing, commercial bio-banking and application development for adipose (fat) tissue and autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs). The Company maintains a strategic portfolio of intellectual property and patent applications that form its Adipose Tissue Processing Platform, which supports and promotes a growing pipeline of biologic products and processes, clinical services and international licensing opportunities. Through its ACS Laboratories division, the Company operates an FDA registered, cGMP compliant human tissue processing, cryo-storage and cell culture and differentiation media development facility in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. For more information, please visitwww.americancryostem.com and www.acslaboratories.com.

The stem cell industry has passed an inflection point, transitioning from a “possibility” into a “matter of when,” according to leading analysts, as broad acceptance has been attained through a substantial body of research evidencing the incredible potential across a broad array of indications.  As with any industry, there are ebbs and flows, and while many regenerative medicine companies seem to move in tandem based upon industry developments, recent trends suggest that some order is becoming delineated, with leaders rising to the top and holding higher, more consistent valuations based on their own merits.

Athersys, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHX) is one such company that now has not just a single footprint, but rather a pathway of prints in the proverbial leadership ground of regenerative medicine.  Further developments and greater exposure of its MultiStem® technology has led to an influx in volume and liquidity in the stock in the past six months and, subsequently, an impressive rise in share value to reach a new high of $1.90 – but even with the recent momentum the company has a market capitalization of barely more than $100 million – despite a rich portfolio of programs and broad network of collaborative relationships in areas that could easily represent blockbuster returns if the programs pan out in clinical development.

From industry to investor, the company and MultiStem have been the topic of a steady stream of articles detailing the intrinsic value of MultiStem on what it can mean from medical and investment perspectives.  That trend has remained strong with Athersys announcing earlier this week the publication of articles in two peer-reviewed scientific journals, Journal of Immunology and Circulation, that describe the potential for multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPC®s), or MultiStem cells.

The articles detail separate research, with the Journal of Immunology article discussing the findings of a collaboration between King’s College, London, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Athersys pertaining to autoimmune disease and inflammatory conditions and the Circulation publication focused on the efforts of the Oregon Health and Science University and Athersys evaluating MultiStem as a therapeutic for peripheral vascular disease.

Athersys already has a host of clinical and pre-clinical research in progress researching its MultiStem cell therapy.  These latest data provide a sturdy scientific foundation supporting the need for further research that could lead to additional clinical trials or commercial opportunities in the future for Athersys and its MultiStem franchise.

On the investor front, shortly after the conference in Rome concludes, Athersys will be represented at the 2013 Regen Med Investor Day to be held Wednesday, April 17, 2013 in New York City by Chairman and CEO Dr. Gil Van Bokkelen.  Organized by the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine in partnership with leading financial firms Burrill & Company, Maxim Group and Piper Jaffray, this flagship event features sixteen of the regenerative medicine field’s leading small- and mid-cap companies.

Dr. Van Bokkelen will be a presenter, exhibiting information on Athersys and MultiStem, as well as a panelist in a discussion on advanced approaches in regenerative medicine to address unmet medical need in the neurological area.

A live video webcast of the company presentations will be available at: http://alliancerm.org/rmdaywebcast and will also be published on the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine’s website shortly after the event.

Learn More and Sign Up to Follow ATHX here: http://www.emerginggrowthcorp.com/emailassets/athx/athx_landing.html

In addition to the recently announced appointment of Dr. Stephen Nicholls below, the company named Joan Shaw as its Senior Director of Clinical Operations and Mark D. Wedel, MD, JD as its Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer. These talented executives have extensive experience working with large pharmaceutical companies to successfully bring drugs to market in the United States and around the world.

AtheroNova Inc. (AHRO), a biotech company focused on the research and development of compounds to safely regress atherosclerotic plaque and improve lipid profiles in humans, today announced that Stephen Nicholls, M.B.B.S., PhD., Heart Disease Theme leader at the South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), has been appointed as chair of the newly renamed Clinical Advisory Board, replacing the recently retired Dr. Giorgio Zadini, one of the co-founders of AtheroNova.  Dr. Nicholls will also be a Co-Principal Investigator in the Company’s upcoming clinical trials.

“As we continue to make positive strides, this is a key step in our evolution from a pre-clinical to a clinical stage pharmaceutical company as we move toward entry into Phase 1 in the near future.  Dr. Nicholls brings a wealth of experience in the imaging and analysis of cardiovascular plaque as we target the treatment of both serum cholesterol as well as atherosclerosis with AHRO-001,” stated Thomas W. Gardner, CEO of AtheroNova. “Dr. Nicholls’ experience with clinical developments during his time at the Cleveland Clinic as well as his new role as the key theme leader in one of the premier research organizations in Australia is essential in leading our Clinical Advisory Board.  We would like to thank Dr. Zadini for all of his tremendous efforts and accomplishments as the key medical advisor of the Company during the development stage and wish him well.”

“Steve is one of the world’s most respected authorities in the imaging of atherosclerosis,” commented Mark Wedel, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of AtheroNova.  “We are profoundly fortunate and appreciative to benefit from his leadership and expertise as we move forward.  His legacy in the battle against cardiovascular disease first at the Cleveland Clinic and now at SAHMRI is world renown and look forward to his contribution.  In addition to the other recent additions at the Company, Steve’s role is an exponential addition to our clinical developments efforts here at AtheroNova.”

Dr. Nicholls assumed the position of Heart Disease Theme leader at the South Australia Health and Medical Research Institute in May 2012 in conjunction with the Heart Foundation as a direct effort of the Australian government to provide research in one of the leading causes of death in Australia and around the world.  He has taken his efforts to educate and research directly to the major media in Australia and has been overseeing a major building initiative to unite the various research efforts currently conducted by the institute in numerous locations around Adelaide.  His research emphasis includes the functional properties of HDL, the role of inflammation and oxidative stress in atherogenesis and the development of new imaging modalities to assess factors that influence the natural history of atherosclerosis. He plays a lead role in clinical trials that employ intravascular ultrasound to investigate the impact of novel anti-atherosclerotic therapies. He is Professor of Cardiology at the University of Adelaide and a Consultant Cardiologist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Prior to joining SAHMRI, Dr. Nicholls was Medical Director of Intravascular Ultrasound and Angiography Core Laboratories at Cleveland Clinic and Clinical Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention. Dr. Nicholls was also Associate Director of the Cleveland Clinic Coordinating Center for Clinical Research and Assistant Professor of Molecular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. He held dual faculty appointments in the Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine in the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic, and the Department of Cell Biology in the Learner Research Institute.  He has played a lead role in clinical trials that investigate the impact of novel anti-atherosclerotic therapies and is the principal investigator of the SATURN (high dose statins for evaluating plaque regression), AQUARIUS (renin inhibition), ASSERT (apoA-I induction) and ASSURE (apoA-I induction) studies, ACCELERATE (CETP inhibition), study chair of VISTA-16 (sPLA2 inhibition) and serves on the steering committees of the DalOutcomes (CETP inhibition) and ALECARDIO (PPAR a/g agonist) studies.  He has also authored more than 400 original manuscripts, meeting abstracts and book chapters.

Dr. Nicholls received his medical degree from the University of Adelaide in Australia. Following residency in internal medicine at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, he completed a clinical fellowship in cardiovascular medicine at John Hunter Hospital. He subsequently undertook his doctoral studies, focusing on the protective properties of high-density lipoproteins (HDL or “good cholesterol”) at the Heart Research Institute in Sydney. Following this training, Dr. Nicholls completed a postdoctoral fellowship in plaque imaging at Cleveland Clinic prior to his faculty appointment.

He is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and American College of Cardiology and a member of the American Heart Association. He received the Helen May Davies Research Award from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, the Young Investigator Award at the 13th International Symposium on Atherosclerosis and was a finalist for the Samuel A. Levine Clinical Young Investigator Award at the 2005 Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association.

About AtheroNova

AtheroNova Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, AtheroNova Operations, Inc., is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, research, development and licensing of novel compounds to reduce or regress atherosclerotic plaque deposits and to safely improve lipid profiles in humans. In addition to its lead compound AHRO-001, AtheroNova plans to develop multiple applications for its patents-pending therapies in market sectors that include: Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, Peripheral Artery Disease, Dementia and Alzheimer’s and Erectile Dysfunction, all of which have been linked to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis and its related pharmaceutical expenses for these indications cost consumers more than $41 billion annually in the United States alone. For more information, please visit www.AtheroNova.com.

A Look at How Biodiesel is Produced

From feedstock like used vegetable oil or beef tallow, biodiesel is produced by adding methanol and a catalyst under certain pressures and temperatures which is then refined into usable biodiesel fuel. These biodiesel fuels can be used in unmodified diesel engines and offer numerous environmental benefits.

To watch the process firsthand, click on the link to the video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLa83KIaEyw

Potential Investment Opportunity

Methes Energies International Ltd. (NASDAQ: MEIL), a renewable energy company that offers an array of products and services to a network of biodiesel products, aims to revolutionize the industry by providing turnkey biodiesel solutions to a network of producers. While building this network, the company operates its own biodiesel production facilities that generated revenues of more than $5.8 million in FY 2012 alone.

Investors looking for a growth opportunity in the sector may want to consider the company for several reasons. First, it’s much smaller and nimbler than the $427 million KiOR Inc. (NASDAQ: KIOR) or the $252 million Renewable Energy Resources (NASDAQ: REGI), as it’s easier to double Methes’ mere $28 million market capitalization than those others. And second, the company’s operations move beyond simple biodiesel production and into the cultivation of a biodiesel producer network, which has the potential to generate long-term, high-margin revenues.

With the biodiesel market showing signs of improvement in 2013, shareholders could benefit from increasing biodiesel demand with its existing production facility in Mississauga and its newly commissioned 13 MGY facility in Sombra, Ontario, Canada.

For more information, please see the following:

• www.methes.com
• Sign up To Receive Future Updates on Methes Energies – http://www.emerginggrowthcorp.com/emailassets/meil/meil_landing.php

The price target was calculated using Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ALNY) and The Medicines Company (NASDAQ: MDCO) as comparables and 20% discount rate, with the assumption that commercial sales would scale to a $1 billion run rate over the first five years, which is reasonable given that it would put AHRO-001 in the bottom half of the current top 10 branded cholesterol modulation drugs, rather than a position as a market leader.  In addition to establishing a $2.00 price target the report also provides a comprehensive outline of the companies Q4 2012 Results and Upcoming Events.

Read the complete research report:

http://emerginggrowthcorp.com/emailassets/ahro/AHRO_MontBlancUpdate_04-03-13.pdf

About AtheroNova Inc.

AtheroNova Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary, AtheroNova Operations, Inc., is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, research, development and licensing of novel compounds to reduce or regress atherosclerotic plaque deposits and to safely improve lipid profiles in humans. In addition to its lead compound AHRO-001, AtheroNova plans to develop multiple applications for its patents-pending therapies in market sectors that include: Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke, Peripheral Artery Disease, Dementia and Alzheimer’s, all of which have been linked to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis and its related pharmaceutical expenses for these indications cost consumers more than $41 billion annually in the United States alone. For more information, please visit http://www.emerginggrowthcorp.com/ahro_landing.php.

HUD designation covers devices that treat rare, ‘orphan’ diseases or conditions. InVivo has received designation for the use of its biopolymer scaffolding for the treatment of recent complete spinal cord injury (no motor or sensory function) that does not involve penetrating injury or complete severing of the spinal cord.

Historically, companies that have received ‘orphan’ status have been able to expedite commercialization, bringing products to market several years faster than other regulatory paths would have allowed. The Company expects the device to be regulated and distributed under a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) pending the results of a clinical trial for which InVivo also currently has a submission under review by the FDA. The trial will be conducted to determine that the device does not pose an unreasonable or significant risk of illness or injury, and that the probable benefit to health outweighs the risk of injury or illness from its use.

“HUD designation is important not only for speed-to-market, but it represents a benchmark in InVivo’s commitment to patients with SCI,” said Frank Reynolds, InVivo Chief Executive Officer. “We are pleased that the FDA has recognized ‘orphan’ status for this condition and acknowledges the urgent demand for new treatment options for SCI. We’ve built out the team and the facility to manufacture products for human studies, and we’re ready to go.

“We intend to leverage our platform to further develop treatments for chronic SCI, and expect 2013 to be a springboard year for our stakeholders as we have multiple 510(k) products targeted for market entry by the end of 2014,” continued Reynolds. “Our work in 2013 will be marked by clinical SCI data and by developing treatments for additional neurotrauma conditions in the arms and legs while we engage the FDA on multiple products.”

About InVivo Therapeutics

InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. is utilizing polymers as a platform technology to develop treatments to improve function in individuals paralyzed from traumatic spinal cord injuries. The company was founded in 2005 based on proprietary technology co-invented by Robert S. Langer, ScD, Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Joseph P. Vacanti, M.D., who is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2011, the company earned the prestigious David F. Apple Award from the American Spinal Injury Association for its outstanding contribution to spinal cord injury medicine. The publicly traded company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more details, visit www.invivotherapeutics.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, and the Company intends that such statements are subject to the safe harbor created thereby. These statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to the expected approval of the FDA to conduct human clinical trials for the Company’s products, the expected commencement date of any approved human clinical trials, the expected size of the pilot study, the expectation that the scaffold product will be regulated under a HDE pathway, and the expected acceleration of commercialization of the Company’s products resulting therefrom. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the Company’s ability to obtain FDA approval to conduct human clinical trials; whether the human clinical trials produce acceptable results; the Company’s ability to develop, market and sell products based on its technology; the expected benefits and efficacy of the Company’s products and technology in connection with spinal cord injuries; the availability of substantial additional funding for the Company to continue its operations and to conduct research and development, clinical studies and future product commercialization; and, the Company’s business, research, product development, regulatory approval, marketing and distribution plans and strategies. These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 and subsequent filings with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this release. Subsequent events or circumstances occurring after such date may render these statements incomplete or out of date. The Company undertakes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update such statements.

MultiStem, the company’s proprietary “off the shelf” biologic product, is currently in 5 clinical stage programs, including aPhase II trial in partnership with Pfizer, Inc. (NYSE: PFE) for inflammatory Bowel Disease and an ongoing Phase II trial for ischemic stroke, which analysts and pundits believe has blockbuster potential.  Phase I clinical trials have been successfully completed with MultiStem as a potential new therapeutic for Acute Myocardial Infarction and HSC transplant/Graft versus Host Disease, with subsequent clinical trials anticipated.  Clearly, the company does not lack fundamental catalysts that could take the price per share to much higher levels.

In November and December, the stock price found a technical bottom at 95 cents, which was followed by a sharp climb to new 52-week highs $1.89.  As is typical, a retracement followed as some profit taking occurs following the stock price doubling.  Keeping its bullish trend, the price per share broke the trendline of the consolidation on Thursday to move 9.8 percent above the 50 day moving average and 23.5 percent above the 200 day moving average.

Evidence of potential for ATHX chart can be gleaned not only from the technical components, but also from what analysts have to say.

In October, Maxim Group upped its price target for Athersys from $3 to $6 while maintaining its Buy rating.   First Analysis has a Buy rating with a $7 price target, and Piper Jaffray holds an Overweight rating with a price target of $4.  WBB also has a Buy rating on ATHX and a price target of $9.  Zacks upgraded Athersys in March from a Neutral rating to an Outperform rating in a note to investors, albeit with a modest price target of $1.80.

Articles across the Internet are also lending support to the Athersys opportunity.  Seeking Alpha contributor Craig Keolanui recently described Athersys as a “unique blend of low valuation, high hope and huge potential.”  Popular Seeking Alpha contributor Chemistfrog published an analysis of Athersys, MultiStem and the unique potential of the company, which was sent to the more than 1,200 people subscribed for real-time alerts on ATHX.  MedCity News provided a summary of the recent Athersys earnings conference call with a host of links for additional research, including a link to a prior MedCity article titled, “Athersys CEO: Stroke therapy could be one of the biggest blockbusters ever.”

In early trading on Monday, the stock is continuing the climb started last week, printing as high as $1.83 for gains of nearly 9 percent and drawing ever closer towards another new one-year high as the momentum looks to be kicking into gear again.

Nick Colangelo, president and chief executive officer of Aastrom, stated: “We completed our strategic review of the CLI program, including an evaluation of the challenges in enrolling patients in the REVIVE study and a recent determination that the CLI program would not be supported by a partner in a timeframe that would impact the pace of enrollment of the study. Based on this review, we have decided that the best path to commercialization of ixmyelocel-T is to focus aggressively on the DCM program. We will begin treating patients in the Phase 2b ixCELL-DCM clinical study within the next few weeks. In our earlier Phase 2a DCM clinical trials, ixmyelocel-T was well-tolerated and efficacy observations were consistent with improved function of impaired myocardium in patients with DCM. In addition, preclinical results demonstrated that ixmyelocel-T was protective of ischemic heart tissue in a murine model of heart failure. These findings strongly support the decision to focus our resources on the development of ixmyelocel-T for the DCM orphan indication.”

The ixCELL-DCM trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2b study. Approximately 108 patients will be enrolled at about 30 sites in the U.S. In the study, ixmyelocel-T is administered via catheter-based injections to patients with advanced heart failure due to ischemic DCM. The primary endpoint of the trial is the average number of events per patient, which include all-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalizations or unplanned hospital visits to treat worsening heart failure. Patients will be followed for a total of 12 months.

Mr. Colangelo added: “We appreciate the contributions of all of the participants in the REVIVE clinical program and continue to believe that ixmyelocel-T has great therapeutic potential to treat patients with CLI. Our Phase 2b results demonstrated that ixmyelocel-T was efficacious and well-tolerated in patients with CLI. However, we have determined that the optimal use of our resources at this time is to focus on the development of ixmyelocel-T for DCM and other rare disease indications where clinical development may require smaller studies with lower costs and a shorter path to regulatory approval. We also plan to continue to explore the use of our proprietary Aastrom Replicell system to develop new cell therapy products for other areas of unmet medical need.”

He further stated: “This was a difficult but necessary decision, and I appreciate the diligence and support of my colleagues in our effort to define the best path forward for Aastrom. Based on all of these considerations, I believe this is the right course of action for our company and the best way to create sustainable long-term value for our shareholders.”

About Aastrom Biosciences

Aastrom Biosciences is the leader in developing patient-specific, expanded multicellular therapies for use in the treatment of patients with severe, chronic cardiovascular diseases. The company’s proprietary cell-processing technology enables the manufacture of ixmyelocel-T, a patient-specific multicellular therapy expanded from a patient’s own bone marrow and delivered directly to damaged tissues. Aastrom has advanced ixmyelocel-T into late-stage clinical development, including a Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. For more information, please visit Aastrom’s website at www.aastrom.com.

The Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3663.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements concerning clinical trial plans and progress, objectives and expectations, clinical activity timing, including the timing and expenses associated with winding down the CLI trial, intended product development, restructuring plans, the performance and contribution of certain individuals and expected timing of collecting and analyzing treatment data, all of which involve certain risks and uncertainties. These statements are often, but are not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” “expects,” “we believe,” “we intend,” and similar words or phrases, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “potential,” “could,” “may,” or similar expressions. Actual results may differ significantly from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that may result in differences are the inherent uncertainties associated with clinical trial and product development activities, regulatory approval requirements, competitive developments, the ability to execute on our restructuring plans and successfully reduce expenses, the unproven nature of our proprietary Aastrom Replicell system and the availability of resources and the allocation of resources among different potential uses. These and other significant factors are discussed in greater detail in Aastrom’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements reflect management’s current views and Aastrom does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release except as required by law.

Some 25 million people in the United States suffer from dry eye disease, and, of the approximate 9 million patients who are candidates for prescription drug treatment, approximately 10% are treated with the only currently approved prescription product for dry eye disease, indicated to help increase the eyes’ natural ability to produce tears, which may be suppressed by inflammation due to chronic dry eye.  However, there is no approved treatment indication which includes symptoms of dry eye (one of the most common complaints to eye care specialists).

“The acquisition of SARcode is a demonstration of Shire’s focus on continuing to build our research and development pipeline with innovative, well-differentiated assets that address significant unmet patient need,” said Flemming Ornskov, M.D., Shire’s CEO Designate. “This acquisition and our recent acquisition of Premacure have the potential to provide the basis for an attractive ophthalmology business for our company, given the significant growth opportunities in this therapeutic area as well as Shire’s proven expertise in specialist markets.”

The global ophthalmic pharmaceutical market, valued at approximately $13 billion in 2012 with a compound annual growth rate of 4.5 percent, is consistent with Shire’s focus on the specialty market. There are approximately 42,000 office-based ophthalmologists, optometrists and retinal specialists in the United States.

Under the terms of agreement, Shire will make an upfront payment of $160 million and SARcode shareholders will be eligible to receive additional undisclosed payments upon achievement of certain clinical, regulatory, and/or commercial milestones. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to regulatory approval in the United States, and other customary closing conditions.

The acquisition of SARcode will introduce a new late-stage phase 3 clinical program to Shire’s research and development portfolio. Shire is currently conducting a prioritization review of its portfolio to accommodate this new expenditure in 2013.

Barclays acted as financial advisor to Shire and Davis Polk LLP acted as legal counsel to Shire.  J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as financial advisor to SARCode  and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Roasati acted as legal counsel to Sarcode.

LIFITEGRAST and its Clinical Development Program

LIFITEGRAST, a small-molecule integrin antagonist, is believed to work by reducing inflammation through binding inhibition of the proteins lymphocyte function – associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), influencing T-cell activation and cytokine (protein) release. The interaction between these two proteins plays a key role in the chronic inflammation associated with dry eye. T-cells are important components of the immune system that help control the body’s response to a foreign or harmful substance or stimuli. LIFITEGRAST is administered via a preservative-free topical eye solution.

Three clinical trials – OPUS-1, OPUS-2 and SONATA – currently make up the phase 3 clinical development program for LIFITEGRAST. OPUS-1, a safety and efficacy study, concluded in 2012. In this study the co-primary endpoint of reducing signs of dry eye was met.  Although the co-primary endpoint of reducing symptoms was not achieved, this study was the basis of a positive meeting with the FDA and for the continuation of the phase 3 clinical program, including OPUS-2, a safety and efficacy study of both signs and symptoms of dry eye disease, which is currently ongoing.  In addition to the OPUS-2 clinical efficacy study, SONATA, a randomized, placebo-controlled safety study is also ongoing.  Shire is excited about the potential contribution of this product to the treatment options for patients with dry eye disease.

About Dry Eye Disease

Dry eye disease varies in severity and etiology, and symptoms most commonly manifest as ocular discomfort, eye dryness, and tear film instability due to decreased quality or quantity of tears. A major contributing factor towards the development of dry eye is inflammation caused by T-cell infiltration, proliferation and inflammatory cytokine production that can lead to reduction in tear film quality and ocular surface damage.

Some 25 million people are affected in the United States. This number is expected to grow substantially in the next decade due to an aging population, a contributor to higher rates of dry eye disease.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Shire enables people with life-altering conditions to lead better lives.

Through our deep understanding of patients’ needs, we develop and provide healthcare in the areas of:

• Behavioral Health and Gastro Intestinal conditions
• Rare Diseases
• Regenerative Medicine

as well as other symptomatic conditions treated by specialist physicians.

We aspire to imagine and lead the future of healthcare, creating value for patients, physicians, policymakers, payors and our shareholders.

http://www.shire.com

FORWARD – LOOKING STATEMENTS – “SAFE HARBOR” STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Statements included in this announcement that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event such risks or uncertainties materialize, Shire’s results could be materially adversely affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, that:

• Shire’s products may not be a commercial success;
• revenues from ADDERALL XR are subject to generic erosion;
• the failure to obtain and maintain reimbursement, or an adequate level of reimbursement, by third-party payors in a timely manner for Shire’s products may impact future revenues and earnings;
• Shire relies on a single source for manufacture of certain of its products and a disruption to the supply chain for those products may result in Shire being unable to continue marketing or developing a product or may result in Shire being unable to do so on a commercially viable basis;
• Shire uses third party manufacturers to manufacture many of its products and is reliant upon third party contractors for certain goods and services, and any inability of these third party manufacturers to manufacture products, or any failure of these third party contractors to provide these goods and services, in each case in accordance with its respective contractual obligations, could adversely affect Shire’s ability to manage its manufacturing processes or to operate its business;
• the development, approval and manufacturing of Shire’s products is subject to extensive oversight by various regulatory agencies and regulatory approvals or interventions associated with changes to manufacturing sites, ingredients or manufacturing processes could lead to significant delays, increase in operating costs, lost product sales, an interruption of research activities or the delay of new product launches;
• the actions of certain customers could affect Shire ‘s ability to sell or market products profitably and fluctuations in buying or distribution patterns by such customers could adversely impact Shire’s revenues, financial conditions or results of operations;
• investigations or enforcement action by regulatory authorities or law enforcement agencies relating to Shire’s activities in the highly regulated markets in which it operates may result in the distraction of senior management, significant legal costs and the payment of substantial compensation or fines;
• adverse outcomes in legal matters and other disputes, including Shire’s ability to obtain, maintain, enforce and defend patents and other intellectual property rights required for its business, could have a material adverse effect on Shire’s revenues, financial condition or results of operations;

and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Shire’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

While the entire human genome was sequenced in April of 2003, the molecular diagnostics industry remains in relatively early stages of growth by many estimates. Companies like Myriad Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN) now offer genetic tests that can show predisposition to a variety of diseases, including breast cancer, hemostasis, cystic fibrosis, liver diseases and others, but the limited number and accuracy of these tests leaves room for growth.

Growing Molecular Diagnostics Industry

Companies and Markets expects the molecular diagnostics market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1% over the next five years, increasing from $4.8 billion in 2011 to some $8.1 billion by 2017. While infectious disease testing represents 60% of the market now, future growth may be driven from the increasing prevalence of personalized medicine, as well as potential diagnostic testing for certain types of preventable cancers.

Personalized medicine involves using therapeutics and diagnostics tailored towards the treatment or prevention of an individual’s disease. Over the coming years, many analysts expect the burgeoning industry to transform the biopharmaceutical and molecular diagnostics markets by reducing treatment costs, detecting diseases earlier, ensuring patient compliance, enhancing drug safety, and optimizing therapies to achieve the best efficacy.

Microarrays Provide the Foundation

Microarrays underpin these growing markets by enabling research to be conducted in a cost-effective, efficient and rapid manner. Companies like Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) and Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) have already become billion dollar leaders within the industry, while Affymetrix Inc. (NASDAQ: AFFX) and Arrayit Corporation (OTCQB: ARYC) offer investors the best pure play and growth rates within the industry.

Arrayit remains one of the most established players in the industry, with a stock price and market cap that offer room for growth. After getting its start in 1997, the company has installed more than 3,800 patented microarray platforms through a network of more than 50 international distributors. The Arrayit platform also uniquely allow customers to deposit any kind of molecule and more than 100,000 patient samples on a single microarray, differentiating it from the competition.

Perfectly Positioned within the Marketplace

Arrayit’s suite of 1,100 microarray products and services are affordable, flexible, sensitive and easy to use. With an enormous existing installed base, customers are already familiar with its products, which it can leverage to upsell instruments, consumables and other life sciences tools down the road. Moving into these areas will likely enhance the company’s profit margins and recurring revenues over time, potentially unlocking significant shareholder value.

In addition to these life sciences growth prospects, the company has also been developing its own proprietary diagnostic products. Its flagship OvaDx® is the first definitive diagnostic screening test for pre-symptomatic detection of ovarian cancer, while its pipeline also includes tests for Parkinson’s Disease and prostate cancer, among other conditions. Upon FDA approval, these tests will be made available to the public and will likely unlock further long-term value in the stock.

For more information, see the company’s website at, http://www.arrayit.com, or read their SEC filings at, http://secfilings.com/SearchResults.aspx?ticker=ARYC.

Read the entire newsletter at the following link:

http://links.accelerize.mkt4662.com/servlet/MailView?ms=MTY5ODY5MjYS1&r=NDMzMTI3NjkxODYS1&j=MjEzMDE4MTg4S0&mt=1&rt=0%25%25FORWARD_INFO%25%25

“This pilot study represents a first essential step in bringing cell-based therapies for Parkinson’s disease to clinical trials,” commented co-author of the study Evan Y. Snyder, MD, PhD, Director of Stem Cells and Regenerative Biology Program at Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute.

These placebo-controlled studies were designed to demonstrate the viability, fate and functional efficacy of the stem cell derived neural cells after implantation to the brain. Highly pure populations of neuronal cells were differentiated from human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSC) according to the protocol developed by International Stem Cell Corporation and recently published in the Nature Publishing Group’sScientific Reports.

The studies employ MPTP-lesioned African Green monkeys and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, the principle models used to study Parkinson’s disease. The duration of the primate study was four months and the rodent study six months. In the non-human primate model, behavioral endpoints were assessed with parkinsonian scores. These scores, based on a standardized rating scale, were recorded by observers blinded to whether the primates were in the treatment or control group. Observations were done twice per day, five days per week. In the rodent model, behavioral improvement was assessed using the cylinder test, amphetamine and apomorphine induced rotation tests. Cell engraftment, viability and phenotype of the implanted cells were determined histologically at the end of the studies. Tumorigenicity and safety of the therapy was assessed at the end of both the rodent and primate studies by gross necropsy, and brain histology.

The primate study consisted of eight asymptomatic monkeys which have the pathology of the disease, low levels of dopamine induced by bilateral injections of the neurotoxin MPTP, and lack clinical symptoms. Four of the monkeys were transplanted with hpSC-derived neuronal cells, two monkeys sham transplanted with an equivalent volume of cell-less media thus serving as the placebo control group and two healthy monkeys serving as a positive control. Behavioral endpoints were recorded to evaluate possible adverse effects.

Subsequent to implantation of the neuronal cells, all monkeys in the treatment group had higher levels of dopamine in the brain compared with the control group. Additionally, the rats in the treatment group showed gradual improvements in motor symptoms consistent with cells survival, engraftment and dopamine release. No adverse events, including dyskinesia, deformations, tumors or overgrowth, were observed in the rat or monkey treatment groups. Overall, these results provide evidence to support the hypothesis that hpSC-derived neuronal cells can be safe and have a disease modifying effect. These results, although preliminary, are a strong indication that our approach to Parkinson’s disease can succeed.

“These results are pivotal for our pre-clinical Parkinson’s program showing, as they do, that the hpSC-derived neuronal cells can potentially ameliorate the behavioral symptoms without triggering dyskinesias. This data forms the foundation of our discussions with the FDA as we move towards our IND in 2013,” said Dr. Ruslan Semechkin, Principal Investigator of this study, head of R&D for International Stem Cell Corporation and Member of the American Academy of Neurology.

These results will be presented and discussed at the 65th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, one of the world’s most important annual events for neurologists and neuroscience professionals and the largest such international meeting of its kind with more than 12,000 attendees at last year’s meeting.

Location: San Diego Convention Center, 111 W Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101
Session: Movement Disorders; Parkinson’s Disease Therapeutics
Date and time: March 20^th, 2012 at 3:30 PM PDT

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the central nervous system. Approximately 60,000 American’s are diagnosed with PD every year, world-wide there are thought to be as many as ten million sufferers. Current PD treatments, including small molecule such as Levadopa which replaces the lost dopamine, are useful in the relatively early stage of the disease. As symptoms grow worse, the efficacy of such therapies declines, leaving many patients severely disabled.

About International Stem Cell Corporation
International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO’s core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs) hence avoiding ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenetic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial background with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell™. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology (www.lifelinecelltech.com), and stem cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care (www.lifelineskincare.com). More information is available atwww.internationalstemcell.com.

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Safe harbor statement
Statements pertaining to anticipated developments, the potential use of technologies to develop therapeutic products, potential opportunities for the company and its subsidiaries, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as “will,” “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects” or “estimates”) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products and the management of collaborations, regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, application of capital resources among competing uses, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the company’s business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements.

“Every survey of corporate human resources executives tells us that the management of chronic disease, and specifically, the management of diabetes, is critical in managing overall healthcare costs,” said ALRT CEO Sidney Chan. “Our program will be a robust tool for employers because it combines remote monitoring, care coordination and communication with employees and clinicians in a way that can demonstrate measureable progress to employers on the chronic disease front,” said Mr. Chan.

ALRT President Larry Weinstein added: “All employers are searching for ways to reduce health-care costs and to increase employee satisfaction and productivity. The economics of self-insured employers, in particular, heighten the importance of managing chronic diseases. With our Health-e-Connect Remote Diabetes Management Program, we are now in a position to assist employers with what may be their largest healthcare challenge: limiting the human toll and the financial costs inflicted by the chronic disease of diabetes.”

The newly released video contains a detailed presentation on how the remote monitoring and care coordination process will work and why it will be valuable to employers. ALRT believes that self-insured employers, who directly pay the claims for their employees’ healthcare, will have keen interest in a program that may help them manage the costs of diabetes. Last week, ALR Technologies announced a partnership with the Mid-America Coalition on Health Care, an employer-driven association representing some of the nation’s largest employers and dedicated to improving the quality and lowering the costs of employer healthcare plans.

The video can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbTTrQMni9k

About ALR Technologies Inc.

ALR Technologies is a medical device company providing remote monitoring and care facilitation for patients with chronic diseases. ALRT has developed the FDA-cleared and HIPAA compliant Health-e-Connect System that collects data from blood glucose meters and uploads to a secure website. Trained Facilitators use the System to effect efficiency of care among patients, clinicians and caregivers to improve outcomes and assist health plans to optimize their HEDIS goals. Currently, the Company is focused on diabetes and will expand its services to cover other chronic diseases anchored on verifiable data.

This release contains certain “forward-looking statements” relating to ALR Technologies’ business, and these statements reflect the current views of ALR Technologies with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. When used, the words “estimate”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. There are many factors that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of ALR Technologies and its products to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Further management discussions of risks and uncertainties can be found in the company’s quarterly filings with the Securities Exchange.

Athersys raised $21.2 million in net proceeds during the fourth quarter of 2012, including the full exercise of underwriters’ over-allotment option, in a public offering of common stock to be used for working capital and to finance ongoing clinical trials. On the balance sheet, the financing contributed to a year-end cash position of approximately $25.5 million, which should provide capital for operations comfortably into 2014, excluding the impact of any new partnerships.  The company is actively engaged in partnering discussions around several programs, including their small molecule 5HT2c agonist program for obesity and schizophrenia, and certain MultiStem® cell therapy programs.

Solid Clinical and Preclinical Progress

Athersys also made significant progress throughout FY 2012 within its clinical and preclinical pipeline. With Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), the company advanced its ongoing Phase II clinical study involving the administration of MultiStem® cells to patients suffering from ulcerative colitis. Initial results from the double blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 130 patients are expected in 2H 2013.

During the fourth quarter, the company also:

• Advanced its Phase II clinical study of the administration of the MultiStem cell product to patients who have suffered ischemic stroke into the large efficacy cohort of this double blind, placebo-controlled trial of 136 patients.
• Developed and submitted to FDA a clinical trial plan for conducting a Phase II-III study of MultiStem administration intended to both reduce the incidence and severity of graft-versus-host disease, or GvHD, and provide other benefits to transplant patients.
• Received ten new patents during 2012 covering aspects of the company’s cell therapy technology, including issuances in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.
• Announced progress in several key preclinical programs, including for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury, and spinal cord injury.

Looking Ahead to FY 2013

Athersys continues to focus its resources on developing MultiStem for the treatment and prevention of diseases and conditions where there is a significant unmet medical need, according to Chairman and CEO Gil Van Bokkelen. Success in any of its current programs could open the door to a broader set of opportunities and partners in related areas.

Investors seem to be increasingly aware of this potential, too, with the stock jumping more than 50% over the past three months. With these trends showing few signs of stopping, investors may want to consider this promising biotech stock for their portfolio ahead of key clinical data expected to be released during the second half of the year.

Click Here: View the Company’s Q4/FY2012 Press Release

The addition of VitaRocks® adds another solid component to the growing portfolio, while the expansion into select Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) stores could boost the brand’s exposure. Aside from Target, these products can also be found in niche vitamin stores like the Vitamin Shoppe Inc. (NYSE: VSI) and GNC Holdings Inc. (NYSE: GNC).

Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE MKT: CXM) today announced that its To Go Brands^® operating unit has expanded its VitaRocks^® kids vitamins product line and that retail distribution of the newly-designed products is being broadened into select Target stores.

The VitaRocks products are inspired by a popping pellet candy that is popular with kids and represents a next-generation, easy-use delivery platform for multivitamins and nutrients, dietary supplements, and potentially over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for children as well as adults. The Kids VitaRocks product line is fun, and uses tasty antioxidant and mineral-rich formulas to provide vitamins A, B, C, D and E, as well as calcium, iodine, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Each packet provides 50% of Daily Value, so that children four and above may enjoy this nutritious treat twice a day. VitaRocks products include cherryBLAST, grapeGUSHER, the new blueRAZZ, as well as orangeBURST, providing 250 mg of Vitamin C. To Go Brands’ adult VitaRocks C delivers a powerful dose of 1000 mg of Vitamin C in every packet.

“Special formulations allow VitaRocks to melt cleanly in the mouth and deliver vitamins and nutrients while being fun and great tasting. Unlike many other products in this class, VitaRocks require no mixing with water and can be directly consumed. While the initial product line was designed for children, with the success of new adult multivitamin chews and gummies, consumers of all ages are increasingly seeking easy-to-use and great tasting nutritional products, and we believe that our VitaRocks platform aligns with this important and rapidly emerging trend. Because of our unique manufacturing process, we now have the flexibility to expand the product line into formulas that could include enzymes, electrolytes, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, as well as nutrients, and into other applications including OTC drugs,” stated Hanna Wagari, Cardium’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Current VitaRocks products are available through retailers, including Whole Foods, Sprouts and Vitamin Shoppe.  The new product line will be available at the beginning of April 2013 in select Target stores, as well as directly from the To Go Brands web-based store at www.togobrands.com.

About To Go Brands

Since 2007, To Go Brands has been making healthy, great tasting and anti-oxidant-rich phytonutrients and nutraceutical supplements in an array of easy use formats, including drink mixes, chews, powders and capsules, to empower busy lifestyles in today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world.  The Go Active! product line includes High Octane^®, Green Tea Energy Fusion™, Acai Natural Energy Boost™, and Neo-Energy^®.  The Go Healthy! product line includes Greens to Go^®, Extreme Berries to Go^®, Healthy Belly^®, VitaRocks^®, and Neo-Chill™.  Go Trim! products include Smoothie Complete^®, Trim Energy Green Coffee Bean™, Trim Energy^®, and Neo-Carb Bloc^®.  To Go Brands products are sold through mass, food and drug channels at retailers including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Kroger, GNC, RiteAid, Jewel-Osco, Ralph’s Supermarkets, Vitamin World, Meijer, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, and the Vitamin Shoppe^® as well as directly from the company’s web-based store.  To learn more about To Go Brands, visit togobrands.com.

About Cardium

Cardium is an asset-based health sciences and regenerative medicine company focused on the acquisition and strategic development of innovative products and businesses with the potential to address significant unmet medical needs and having definable pathways to commercialization, partnering or other economic monetizations. Cardium’s current portfolio includes the Tissue Repair Company, Cardium Biologics, and the Company’s newly-acquired To Go Brands^® nutraceutical business. The Company’s lead commercial product, Excellagen^® topical gel for wound care management, has received FDA clearance for marketing and sale in the United States.  Cardium’s lead clinical development product candidate Generx^® is a DNA-based angiogenic biologic intended for the treatment of patients with myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery disease. To Go Brands^® develops, markets and sells dietary supplements through established regional and national retailers.  In addition, consistent with its business model, Cardium continues to actively evaluate new technologies and business opportunities. For more information, visit www.cardiumthx.com.

Forward-Looking Statements 

Except for statements of historical fact, the matters discussed in this press release are forward looking and reflect numerous assumptions and involve a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control and may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. For example, there can be no assurance that To Go Brands products or Cardium’s other products can be successfully commercialized; that the retail distribution of VitaRocks or other products will be successfully expanded; that new products will be developed and launched in a timely and effective manner; that our product or product candidates will not be unfavorably compared to competitive products that may be regarded as safer, more effective, easier to use or less expensive, or will not be blocked by third party intellectual property rights or other means; that our products will substantially enhance our revenues or perceived value; that the company can attract suitable commercialization partners for our products or that we or partners can successfully commercialize them; that third parties on whom we depend will perform as anticipated; that we can raise sufficient capital from partnering, monetization or other fundraising transactions to maintain our stock exchange listing or adequately fund ongoing operations; or that we will not be adversely affected by these or other risks and uncertainties that could impact our operations, business or other matters, as described in more detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date hereof.

Copyright 2013 Cardium Therapeutics, Inc.  All rights reserved.
For Terms of Use Privacy Policy, please visit www.cardiumthx.com.

To Go Brands^®,  High Octane^®, Green Tea Energy Fusion™, Acai Natural Energy Boost™, Greens to Go^®, Extreme Berries to Go^®, Healthy Belly^®, VitaRocks^®, Smoothie Complete^®, Trim Green Coffee Bean™, and Trim Energy^®, are trademarks of To Go Brands, Inc.

Cardium Therapeutics^®, Generx^®, Cardionovo^®, Tissue Repair™, Excellagen^®, Excellarate™, LifeAgain™, Genedexa™, Neo-Apps^®, MedPodium^®, Neo-Energy^®, Neo-Chill™ and Neo-Carb Bloc^® are trademarks of Cardium Therapeutics, Inc. or Tissue Repair Company. 

Other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

“We are pleased to welcome an experienced executive of Steve’s caliber to BioTime’s board,” said Alfred D. Kingsley, Chairman of the Board of BioTime. “Steve adds critical and highly relevant experience as a successful leader and director of healthcare companies during periods of rapid growth. His operational and financial experience and his strategic vision will be valuable additions to our board during an exciting period of growth for BioTime.”

“BioTime’s development and progress toward the acquisition of novel technologies in the stem cell space over the past year, along with its recent successful financings, have further established it as a leader in regenerative medicine,” said Mr. Farrell. “I am honored to join the BioTime Board of Directors during such an important time in the Company’s growth, and look forward to contributing to the development of these new technologies, which have the potential to significantly improve the health and quality of life of patients around the world.”

Mr. Farrell currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and Director of Convey Health Solutions (formerly known as NationsHealth, Inc.), a healthcare business process outsourcing company headquartered in Sunrise, Florida. Convey Health Solutions utilizes both technology and staff to manage end-to-end insurance processes for business clients. Previously, he served as President of PolyMedica Corporation, a publicly traded provider of diabetes supplies and related services that was acquired in 2007 by Medco Health Solutions in a transaction valued at $1.5 billion. During his eight year tenure at PolyMedica, Mr. Farrell served as its President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, and Treasurer. Mr. Farrell also served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Stream Global Services, Inc., a business process outsourcing company. Earlier in his career, Mr. Farrell served as Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Mr. Farrell holds an A.B. from Harvard University, and an M.B.A. from the Darden School at the University of Virginia. Mr. Farrell currently serves on the board and is chairman of the Audit Committee of Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (QCOR), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of patients with serious, difficult-to-treat autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

About BioTime, Inc.

BioTime, headquartered in Alameda, California, is a biotechnology company focused on regenerative medicine and blood plasma volume expanders. Its broad platform of stem cell technologies is enhanced through subsidiaries focused on specific fields of application. BioTime develops and markets research products in the fields of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including a wide array of proprietary PureStem™ cell lines, HyStem^® hydrogels, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime is developing Renevia™ (formerly known as HyStem^®-Rx), a biocompatible, implantable hyaluronan and collagen-based matrix for cell delivery in human clinical applications. BioTime’s therapeutic product development strategy is pursued through subsidiaries that focus on specific organ systems and related diseases for which there is a high unmet medical need. BioTime’s majority-owned subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. is developing therapeutic products derived from stem cells for the treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases. BioTime’s subsidiary OrthoCyte Corporation is developing therapeutic applications of stem cells to treat orthopedic diseases and injuries. Another subsidiary, OncoCyte Corporation, focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of stem cell technology in cancer, including the diagnostic product PanC-Dx™ currently being developed for the detection of cancer in blood samples. ReCyte Therapeutics, Inc. is developing applications of BioTime’s proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell technology to reverse the developmental aging of human cells to treat cardiovascular and blood cell diseases. BioTime’s subsidiary LifeMap Sciences, Inc. markets GeneCards^®, the leading human gene database, as part of an integrated database suite that also includes the LifeMap Discovery™ database of embryonic development, stem cell research and regenerative medicine, and MalaCards, the human disease database. LifeMap Sciences also markets BioTime research products andPanDaTox, an innovative, recently developed, searchable database that can aid in the discovery of new antibiotics and biotechnologically beneficial products. BioTime Acquisition Corporation is a new subsidiary being used to acquire the stem cell assets of Geron Corporation, including patents and other intellectual property, biological materials, reagents, and equipment for the development of new therapeutic products for regenerative medicine. BioTime’s lead product, Hextend^®, is a blood plasma volume expander manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by Hospira, Inc. and in South Korea by CJ CheilJedang Corporation under exclusive licensing agreements. Additional information about BioTime can be obtained at www.biotimeinc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development, and potential opportunities for BioTime and its subsidiaries, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as “will,” “may” “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates”) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of BioTime and its subsidiaries, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in BioTime’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. BioTime disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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