TEL AVIV, Israel, April 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cellect
Biotechnology Ltd. (Nasdaq: APOP), a developer of a novel stem cell
enabling technology, announced that it has successfully completed
the proof of concept testing of its first in type new product
prototype, ApoTainer™ using Cellect's FasL-coated magnetic beads
for maximizing efficacy and scalability of stem cell based
products' manufacturing. The ApoTainer™ is designed to replace
highly complex and expensive procedures currently used by
laboratories (e.g. Bone marrow transplantations), with a
significantly more effective process at a fraction of the time and
cost.
The Company believes the ApoTainer™ represents a breakthrough in
achieving commercial grade scalability with a solution suitable for
a wide range of users from large pharma companies interested in
cost effective stem cell production through hospitals and clinics
to small research laboratories.
Pre-clinical proof of concept testing of Cellect's proprietary
ApoTainer™ has shown that the use of FasL-coated magnetic beads
significantly increases the active surface allowing a dramatic
increase of interactions between the selecting agent and the cells.
The testing showed that the prototype increases specific
elimination of certain (but not all) of the non-stem cells while
full preservation of the number and function of the stem and
progenitor cells.
Utilizing the ApoTainer™, Cellect expects blood stem cell
donation to be transplantable within less than 6 hours from
donation through a simple process performed at the hospital bedside
instead of undergoing a lengthy laboratory procedure in a highly
specialized setting. The standard medical procedure for reaching
enriched stem cells currently costs tens of thousands of dollars
and produces significant adverse effects.
ApoTainer™-based blood stem cell transplantation is being
designed to result in improved recovery of the patient's immune
system with significant reduction of safety concerns in contrast to
the significant morbidity or even death caused by the standard
medical procedure. Reducing the procedure related adverse effects
is anticipated to cause a significant increase in the number of
bone marrow transplantations – the only stem cell based medical
procedure fully accepted by the medical community.
Cellect CTO Dr. Bakimer adds "Cellect has two major programs in
Hematopoietic and Mesenchymal stem cells. By moving to
spherical beads, we achieved a significant improvement of the
number of active molecules per number of cells and that in turn is
expected to improve the biological effect of the ApoTainer™.
Stem cells are the building blocks and raw material of
21st century regenerative medicine enabling a world
where damaged tissues and organs may be replaced and regenerated
rather than fixed with drugs, radiation and surgery. However, up to
50 percent of stem cell transplants from donors (such as in bone
marrow transplantation) result in life-threatening immune reaction
such as rejection and Graft-versus-Host-Disease (GvHD). Cellect's
technology aims at turning stem cell transplantations into an
efficient, safe and affordable procedure by reducing the associated
severe side effects and simplifying the process.
About Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.
Cellect
Biotechnology (NASDAQ: APOP) has developed a breakthrough
technology for the selection of stem cells from any given tissue
that aims to improve a variety of stem cell-based therapies.
The Company's technology is expected to provide research,
hospitals and pharma companies with the tools to rapidly isolate
stem cells in quantity and quality allowing stem cell-based
treatments and procedures in a wide variety of applications in
regenerative medicine. The current clinical trial is aimed at bone
marrow transplantations in cancer treatment.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements about the
Company's expectations, beliefs and intentions. Forward-looking
statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words
such as "believe", "expect", "intend", "plan", "may", "should",
"could", "might", "seek", "target", "will", "project", "forecast",
"continue" or "anticipate" or their negatives or variations of
these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these
statements do not relate strictly to historical matters. For
example, forward-looking statements are used in this press release
when we discuss Cellect's beliefs regarding the potential of the
ApoTainer™ to achieve improved clinical outcomes and its impact in
the market place. These forward-looking statements and their
implications are based on the current expectations of the
management of the Company only and are subject to a number of
factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.
In addition, historical results or conclusions from scientific
research and clinical studies do not guarantee that future results
would suggest similar conclusions or that historical results
referred to herein would be interpreted similarly in light of
additional research or otherwise. The following factors, among
others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those
described in the forward-looking statements: the Company's history
of losses and needs for additional capital to fund its operations
and its inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms,
or at all; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern;
uncertainties of cash flows and inability to meet working capital
needs; the Company's ability to obtain regulatory approvals; the
Company's ability to obtain favorable pre-clinical and clinical
trial results; the Company's technology may not be validated and
its methods may not be accepted by the scientific community;
difficulties enrolling patients in the Company's clinical trials;
the ability to timely source adequate supply of FasL; risks
resulting from unforeseen side effects; the Company's ability to
establish and maintain strategic partnerships and other corporate
collaborations; the scope of protection the Company is able to
establish and maintain for intellectual property rights and its
ability to operate its business without infringing the intellectual
property rights of others; competitive companies, technologies and
the Company's industry; unforeseen scientific difficulties may
develop with the Company's technology; and the Company's ability to
retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the
development of its products.. Any forward-looking statement in this
press release speaks only as of the date of this press release. The
Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any
applicable securities laws. More detailed information about the
risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under
the heading "Risk Factors" in Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.'s Annual
Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission, or SEC, which is available on the SEC's
website, www.sec.gov, and in the Company's periodic filings with
the SEC.
Contact
Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.
Eyal Leibovitz, Chief Financial
Officer
www.cellect.co
+972-9-974-1444
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SOURCE Cellect Biotechnology Ltd.