WASHINGTON, DC–(Marketwire -05/03/12)- The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the international organization representing the interests of the regenerative medicine community, today announced it will hold a conference titled, Clinical Outlooks for Regenerative Medicine 2012, in partnership with Harvard Stem Cell Institute on June 19, 2012. The meeting, being held at The Starr Center, Schepens Eye Research Institute, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA, will assemble a group of ~200 leading regenerative medicine executives, clinicians and investigators from major research establishments and companies to discuss how these technologies are transforming the practice of medicine.

Pioneering stem cell researcher George Q. Daley, M.D., Ph.D. will provide a keynote address at the conference. Dr. Daley is director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at HHMI/Children’s Hospital Boston; professor of Biomedical Chemistry/Molecular Pharmacology and Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research.

This event aims to enhance the understanding of key issues facing regenerative medicine products as they approach the marketplace. Disease areas to be reviewed will include ophthalmology, metabolic diseases (including diabetes), neurodegenerative disease and spinal cord injury, cardiovascular disease and wound healing.

“This meeting exemplifies the interaction among scientists, clinicians and industry that is necessary to successfully bring regenerative medicine to the clinic, and ultimately, to the market,” said Brock Reeve, Executive Director, Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

Confirmed speakers include representatives from Advanced BioHealing, a Shire Company, Advanced Cell Technologies, Athersys, InVivo Therapeutics, Johnson & Johnson, Organogenesis and StemCells, Inc. In addition, the following researchers and clinicians are confirmed to speak:

Ellen Feigal, M.D., Senior Vice President, Research and Development, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Richard Lee, M.D., Professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Leader, Cardiovascular Program, Harvard Stem Cell Institute; Cardiologist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Peter Lomedico, Ph.D., Director, Industry Partnerships, Cure Therapies, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundations

Marc Penn, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.C., Director, Research, Summa Cardiovascular Institute; Physician, Cardiovascular, Internal Medicine, Summa Akron City Hospital; Professor, Integrative Medical Sciences; Northeast Ohio Medical University

Jane Sowden, Ph.D., Professor, Developmental Biology and Genetics, Developmental Biology Unit; Group Leader, Eye Development and Repair Group, University College London Institute of Child Health

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Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Holds Clinical Outlooks for Regenerative Medicine Meeting in Partnership With …

EXTON, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

In collaboration with Fibrocell Science, Inc., (OTCBB:FCSC.OB), researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have identified two rare adult stem cell-like subpopulations in adult human skin, a discovery that may yield further ground-breaking research in the field of personalized medicine for a broad range of diseases. Using technology developed by Fibrocell Science, Inc. the researchers were able to confirm the existence of these two types of cells in human skin cell cultures, potentially providing a source of stem cell-like subpopulations from skin biopsies, which are quicker to perform, relatively painless and less invasive than bone marrow and adipose tissue extractions, which are the current methods for deriving adult stem cells for patient-specific cellular therapies.

The findings, which are reported in the inaugural issue of BioResearch Open Access, pertain to two subtypes of cells: SSEA3-expressing regeneration-associated (SERA) cells, which may play a role in the regeneration of human skin in response to injury and mesenchymal adult stem cells (MSCs), which are under investigation (by many independent researchers) for their ability to differentiate into the three main types of cells: osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage cells) and adipocytes (fat cells). Finding these specialized cells within the skin cell cultures is important because rather than undergoing a surgical organ or tissue transplantation to replace diseased or destroyed tissue, patients may one day be able to benefit from procedures by which stem cells are extracted from their skin, reprogrammed to differentiate into specific cell types and reimplanted into their bodies to exert a therapeutic effect. Research in this area is ongoing.

Finding these rare adult stem cell-like subpopulations in human skin is an exciting discovery and provides the first step towards purifying and expanding these cells to clinically relevant numbers for application to a variety of potential personalized cellular therapies for osteoarthritis, bone loss, injury and/or damage to human skin as well as many other diseases, said James A. Byrne, Ph.D., the studys lead author and Assistant Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA. In addition to pursuing our own research investigations with Fibrocell Science using this method, we envision a time not too far in the future when we will be able to isolate and produce mesenchymal stem cells and SERA cells on demand from skin samples, which may allow other researchers in need of specialized cells to pursue their own lines of medical and scientific research.

We congratulate the UCLA researchers on the publication of their breakthrough data, which may ultimately lead to new patient-specific, personalized cellular therapies to treat various diseases, said David Pernock, Chairman and CEO of Fibrocell Science, Inc. Fibrocell Science is proud of our role in helping to establish the potential of dermal skin cells for the future of personalized, regenerative medicine. We look forward to continuing our relationship with UCLA and Dr. Byrnes team to advance this research.

Discovering Viable, Regenerative Cells in the Skin

Dr. Byrne and colleagues confirmed previous research identifying a rare population of cells in adult human skin that has a marker called the stage-specific embryonic antigen 3 (SSEA3). Dr. Byrne observed that there was a significant increase in the number of SSEA3 expressing cells following injury to human skin, supporting the hypothesis that the SSEA3 biomarker can be used to facilitate the identification and isolation of these cells with tissue-regenerative properties.

Using Fibrocells proprietary technology, the researchers collected cells from small skin samples, cultured the cells in the lab, and purified them via a technique known as fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Under FACS, cells in suspension were tagged with fluorescent markers specific for undifferentiated stem cells. This method allowed the researchers to separate the rare cell subpopulations from other types of cells.

Dr. Byrne and colleagues also observed a rare subpopulation of functional MSCs in human skin that existed in addition to the SERA cells.

Being able to identify two sub-populations of rare, viable and functional cells that behave like stem cells from within the skin is an important finding because both cell types have the potential to be investigated for diverse clinical applications, said Dr. Byrne.

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Fibrocell Science Technology Leads to Discovery of Two Rare Adult Stem Cell-Like Subpopulations in Human Skin

MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

The University of Miami Miller School of Medicines Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) today announced that it received a $10 million grant from The Starr Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States. The grant will support ISCI in broadening its preclinical and clinical research on stem cells, and help accelerate its pipeline of translational research and programs for a wide range of debilitating conditions including cardiac disease, cancer, wound healing, stroke, glaucoma and chronic kidney and gastrointestinal diseases.

This is a momentous and transformative gift for the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, said Joshua M. Hare, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.H.A., Louis Lemberg Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and director of ISCI. We are so gratified that the level of science being conducted here was recognized by this very generous grant from The Starr Foundation. With this award, we join the ranks of the other major top-tier universities funded by The Starr Foundation. This support, along with our growing NIH funding, technology transfer, and other philanthropic efforts guarantees the stability of ISCI through the end of the decade, and will allow us to continue to push the boundaries of regenerative medicine with the goal of improving human health.

Stem cells and regenerative medicine are poised to transform the way we practice medicine, cure disease and treat injuries. To realize this potential, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is performing world-leading research at ISCI, said Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Miller School of Medicine, and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Miami Health System. We are extremely proud of this recognition by The Starr Foundation that ISCI, and the Miller School of Medicine, are leading the way for stem cell and regenerative medicine breakthroughs.

Donna E. Shalala, President of the University of Miami, said the grant from the foundation will have long-reaching implications for future medicine. The team at ISCI is making new discoveries on a number of fronts and this substantial support from The Starr Foundation propels that work forward, both in the laboratory and in clinical trials.

For more on the grant, click here.

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University of Miami’s Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute Awarded $10 Million Grant from Starr Foundation

“See The Potential” program sponsored by Canada’s Stem Cell Network and Pfizer

MONTRAL, May 2, 2012 /CNW/ – The first two postdoctoral research fellowships of a new program to promote stem cell research in Canada were announced today by the program’s sponsors, Canada’s Stem Cell Network and Pfizer.

“See The Potential” is a program established to encourage the work of promising young scientists in the field of stem cell and regenerative medicine research. Under the program, six postdoctoral fellowships will be funded from competitions over the next three years. Fellows will receive a grant of $50,000 per year for up to three years and will conduct two years of stem cell and regenerative medicine research at a recognized research laboratory in Canada as well as another year of research at the Pfizer Neusentis laboratories in the United Kingdom.

The 2011 fellowship recipients that have just been announced, following an internationally publicized competition, are Dr. Corinne Hoesli from Laval University in Qubec City and Dr. Reaz Vawda from University Health Network in Toronto. Dr. Hoesli proposes to conduct research related to engineering artificial blood vessels and is speaking today at the Till and McCulloch Meetings in Montral about the program and her research strategies. The research specialty of Dr. Vawda is comparative investigations on the therapeutic repair function of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury.

“We are very pleased to name these first recipients of the See The Potential postdoctoral fellowships in partnership with Pfizer Inc,” said Dr. Verna Skanes, Chair of the Board of the Stem Cell Network. “This program is an exciting way to provide young researchers with the opportunity to develop their research efforts and their careers while building important collaborations for the future with other researchers connected to the Stem Cell Network and, internationally, through Pfizer network. This is exactly the type of collaboration with industry that is the hallmark of translational research and one that can provide benefits to all involved.”

Half the program is funded by the Stem Cell Network and other half shared by Pfizer.

“This is an excellent initiative aligned with the Pfizer Neusentis’ mission to develop innovative cell therapies to benefit patients through research and development, clinical and business innovation,” said academic liaison, Dr. Tim Allsopp, Head of External Research for the Regenerative Medicine activities at Pfizer Neusentis Ltd. “We congratulate our winners and look forward to witnessing the results of their important research.”

The second See The Potential fellowship competition is now open with an application deadline set for June 26, 2012. For more information on the competition please visit www.seethepotential.ca

Canada’s Stem Cell Network The Stem Cell Network, established in 2001, brings together more than 100 leading scientists, clinicians, engineers, and ethicists from universities and hospitals across Canada. The Network supports cutting-edge projects that translate research discoveries into new and better treatments for millions of patients in Canada and around the world. Hosted by the University of Ottawa, the Stem Cell Network is one of Canada’s Networks of Centres of Excellence funded through Industry Canada and its three granting councils. www.stemcellnetwork.ca

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First fellowships awarded in new Canadian stem cell and regenerative medicine research program

SAN DIEGO, CA–(Marketwire -05/03/12)- Regen BioPharma (Regen), Inc. a newly-formed subsidiary of Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. (BMSN.PK – News) (BMSN.PK – News), unveiled today its operational plan for its “Super-Incubator” stem cell company.

Month 1-2: Assembly of Team. Regen intends to assemble a team of world-class leaders in the spheres of Technology, Intellectual Property assessment, valuation and Clinical development. Regen will seek to compile a team of Physician-Scientists with experience in the area of clinical trials for regenerative medicine/stem cell products, Regulatory experts who have successfully taken products through the FDA and corresponding agencies internationally, and Biotech Entrepreneurs who have track records of excellence in business formation and value optimization.

Month 1-4: In-licensing of Intellectual Property. The Company having already assessed over 20,000 issued patents and having compiled a shortlist of 30 targets; Regen will seek to execute licensing deals on an initial core of 3 technologies. Regen focuses on issued patents that have already passed preclinical studies but are not under clinical development.

Month 3-6: Interaction with Regulatory Agencies. Regen intends to develop data packages for each of the technologies and initiate interaction with Regulatory Agencies such as the FDA for initiation of trials.

Month 6-18: Clinical Implementation. Regen intends to launch clinical trials with world-leading institutions to obtain human safety data and “signal” of therapeutic efficacy.

Month 18-24: Exit. It is intended that technologies “incubated” by Regen will be spun off either as separate companies, or sold to Large Pharma companies seeking to enhance their therapeutic pipeline.

“At present there exists a wealth of intellectual property that is ‘collecting dust’ in the corridors of Academia. Given the field of regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy is so young, and the business models are fuzzy at best in terms of valuation, we see this space as a unique opportunity for acceleration of clinical development/value optimization,” said Bio-Matrix Chairman & CEO David Koos about its Regen BioPharma. “Valuations for stem cell companies that have passed the threshold of clinical safety, with signals of efficacy are astronomical. The $1.8 billion Mesoblast-Cephalon deal, as well as recent financings of private companies with as little as 3 patient data such as Promethera ($31 million) or Allocure with 16 patients ($23 million), is testimony to the extremely high valuations that are characteristic of this space.”

About Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc.:

Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. (BMSN.PK – News) is a biotechnology company focused on the development of regenerative medicine therapies and tools. The Company is specifically focused on human therapies that address unmet medical needs. Specifically, Bio-Matrix Scientific Group Inc. is looking to increase the quality of life through therapies involving stem cell treatments. These treatments are focused in areas relating to lung, heart, circulatory system and other internal organs.

Through Its wholly owned subsidiary, Regen BioPharma, it is the Company’s goal to develop translational medicine platforms for the rapid commercialization of stem cell therapies. The Company is looking to use these translational medicine platforms to advance intellectual property licensed from entities, institutions and universities that show promise towards fulfilling the Company’s goal of increased quality of life.

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Bio-Matrix Subsidiary "First in Class" Approach to Stem Cell Medicine

Public release date: 25-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kim Irwin kirwin@mednet.ucla.edu 310-206-2805 University of California – Los Angeles Health Sciences

Can one feel too attached? Does one need to let go to mature? Neural stem cells have this problem, too.

As immature cells, neural stem cells must stick together in a protected environment called a niche in order to divide so they can make all of the cells that populate the nervous system. But when it’s time to mature, or differentiate, the neural stem cells must stop dividing, detach from their neighbors and migrate to where they are needed to form the circuits necessary for humans to think, feel and interact with the world.

Now, stem cell researchers at UCLA have identified new components of the genetic pathway that controls the adhesive properties and proliferation of neural stem cells and the formation of neurons in early development.

The finding by scientists at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA could be important because errors in this pathway can lead to a variety of birth defects that affect the structure of the nervous system, as well as more subtle changes that impair cognitive and motor functions associated with disorders such as autism.

The results of the four-year study are published April 26, 2012 in the peer-reviewed journal Neuron.

The UCLA team found that a delicate balance of gene expression enables the pool of neural stem and progenitor cells in early development to initially increase and then quickly stop dividing to form neurons at defined times.

“One of the greatest mysteries in developmental biology is what constitutes the switch between stem cell proliferation and differentiation. In our studies of the formation of motor neurons, the cells that are essential for movement, we were able to uncover what controls the early expansion of neural stem and progenitor cells, and more importantly what stops their proliferation when there are enough precursors built up,” said Bennett G. Novitch, an assistant professor of neurobiology, a Broad Stem Cell Research Center scientist and senior author of the study. “If the neurons don’t form at the proper time, it could lead to deficits in their numbers and to catastrophic, potentially fatal neurological defects.”

During the first trimester of development, the neural stem and progenitor cells form a niche, or safe zone, within the nervous system. The neural stem and precursor cells adhere to each other in a way that allows them to expand their numbers and keep from differentiating. A protein called N-cadherin facilitates this adhesion, Novitch said.

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Growing up as a neural stem cell: The importance of clinging together and then letting go

BioTime, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BTX) announced today that Charles S. Irving, Ph.D., the CEO of BioTimes subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences, Ltd. will provide an update on the development of OpRegen at an investor meeting in New York City. In his presentation, Dr. Irving will describe the unmet medical needs and markets for the treatment of the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and the advantages of Cell Cures OpRegen which has been produced from human embryonic stem cells in culture conditions free of animal products, eliminating the need for designating the product as a xenotransplantation therapeutic. Dr. Irving will also discuss Cell Cures collaboration with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., under which Teva has the option to develop and commercialize both OpRegen and OpRegen-Plus. Dr. Irving will describe the nature of the ongoing preclinical studies which are expected to lead to regulatory filings for the initiation of human clinical trials in 2013. Dr. Irvings presentation will be available on BioTimes web site www.biotimeinc.com as well as Cell Cure Neurosciences web site at www.cellcureneurosciences.com.

Background.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in an aging population. It is widely believed that the loss or dysfunction of a particular type of cell called “retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is the root cause of the disease. While therapies exist to treat what is called the “wet form of macular degeneration exist, there are no therapies for the “dry form. The transplantation of healthy RPE cells may provide a superior treatment for this devastating disorder. Cell Cures OpRegen is “xeno-free, meaning that no animal products were used in the culture of the human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells. The use animal products to culture cells often results in the designation of the therapy as a “xenotransplantation product, even though the cells themselves are of human origin. Xenotransplantation may raise purity issues, increasing the costs of product development along with other risks and uncertainties. The production of animal product-free OpRegen will therefore eliminate concerns of xenotransplantation and may provide cost savings in development and production should the product successfully complete clinical trials and be approved for human use.

About Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd.

Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. was established in 2005 as a subsidiary of ES Cell International Pte Ltd (ESI), now a subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (NYSE Amex:BTX). Cell Cure is located in Jerusalem, Israel on the campus of Hadassah University Hospital. Cell Cure’s mission is to become a leading supplier of human cell-based therapies for the treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases. Its technology platform is based on the manufacture of diverse cell products sourced from clinical grade (GMP) human embryonic stem cells. Its current programs include developing cells for the treatment of macular degeneration, Parkinson’s disease, and cells potentially useful in treating multiple sclerosis. Cell Cure’s major shareholders include: Biotime Inc. (NYSE Amex:BTX), Hadasit BioHoldings Ltd. (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange:HDST) and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd (NASDAQ:TEVA). Additional information about Cell Cure can be found on the web at www.cellcureneurosciences.com.

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 developed through subsidiaries focused on specific fields of applications. BioTime develops and markets research products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including a wide array of proprietary ACTCellerate cell lines, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime’s wholly owned subsidiary ES Cell International Pte. Ltd. has produced clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell lines that were derived following principles of Good Manufacturing Practice and currently offers them for use in research. 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. Cell Cure’s minority shareholder Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has an option to clinically develop and commercialize Cell Cure’s OpRegen retinal cell product for use in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. 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-DxTM currently being developed for the detection of cancer in blood samples, and therapeutic strategies using vascular progenitor cells engineered to destroy malignant tumors. 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 newest subsidiary, LifeMap Sciences, Inc., is developing an online database of the complex cell lineages arising from stem cells to guide basic research and to market BioTime’s research products. In addition to its stem cell products, BioTime develops blood plasma volume expanders, blood replacement solutions for hypothermic (low-temperature) surgery, and technology for use in surgery, emergency trauma treatment and other applications. 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 Corp. under exclusive licensing agreements. Additional information about BioTime, ReCyte Therapeutics, Cell Cure, OrthoCyte, OncoCyte, BioTime Asia, LifeMap Sciences, and ESI can be found on the web 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,” “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.

To receive ongoing BioTime corporate communications, please click on the following link to join our email alert list: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=83805&p=irol-alerts

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BioTimes Subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences, Ltd. Provides Update on OpRegen® Product Development

ZUTPHEN, the Netherlands, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ —

In line with its continuous efforts to improve internal stem cell procedures, Cryo-Save proudly announces the appointment of the highly knowledgeable stem cell expert Dr. Marcin Jurga. Dr. Jurga will supervise new process validation at the Cryo-Save labs and study new processing techniques for umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and fat tissue, to ensure quality and use of the highest technology available on the market.

Marcin Jurga is specialized in adult stem cells biology, neuroscience and tissue engineering. His field of interest focuses on developing new methods for adult stem cell applications in in-vitro toxicology and regenerative medicine. Part of his validation study and internal research at Cryo-Save includes studies on fresh and frozen cells isolated from fat tissue and cord tissue, to explain the quality of these and their ability for extensive growth in vitro and multilineage differentiation.

“Cryo-Save is truly committed to the advancement of stem cell therapy. Storing stem cells is utterly important and our core business, but we are also committed to increasing the potential use of these stem cells and building the tools needed to tackle un-met medical needs with stem cells”, said Arnoud Van Tulder, CEO of Cryo-Save.

Dr. Jurga is an experienced stem cell researcher with broad international experience; he was team leader and senior researcher at the Cell Therapy Research Institute in Lyon, France and previously completed a post doc at the Centre for Life, Newcastle University in the UK. He got Ph.D. degree in Poland, at the Mossakowski Medical Research Centre of Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. In May, Dr. Jurga is also planning to get a habilitation degree at Lyon 1 Claude-Bernard University in France. The habilitation thesis entitled: “Stem Cell Therapy and Neutral Tissue Engineering in Regeneration of Central Nervous System”.

Cryo-Save, the leading international family stem cell bank, stores more than 200,000 samples from umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and adipose tissue. There are already many diseases treatable by the use of stem cells, and the number of treatments will only increase. Driven by its international business strategy, Cryo-Save is now represented in over 40 countries on four continents, with ultra-modern processing and storage facilities in the United States, Belgium, Germany, Dubai, India, South Africa and France (validation in progress).

Cryo-Save: http://www.cryo-save.com/group

Cryo-Save Group N.V.

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Cryo-Save Hires Stem Cell Expert in the Flagship Lab in Niel, Belgium

ALAMEDA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

BioTime, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BTX) announced today that Charles S. Irving, Ph.D., the CEO of BioTimes subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences, Ltd. will provide an update on the development of OpRegen at an investor meeting in New York City. In his presentation, Dr. Irving will describe the unmet medical needs and markets for the treatment of the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and the advantages of Cell Cures OpRegen which has been produced from human embryonic stem cells in culture conditions free of animal products, eliminating the need for designating the product as a xenotransplantation therapeutic. Dr. Irving will also discuss Cell Cures collaboration with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., under which Teva has the option to develop and commercialize both OpRegen and OpRegen-Plus. Dr. Irving will describe the nature of the ongoing preclinical studies which are expected to lead to regulatory filings for the initiation of human clinical trials in 2013. Dr. Irvings presentation will be available on BioTimes web site www.biotimeinc.com as well as Cell Cure Neurosciences web site at www.cellcureneurosciences.com.

Background.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in an aging population. It is widely believed that the loss or dysfunction of a particular type of cell called retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is the root cause of the disease. While therapies exist to treat what is called the wet form of macular degeneration exist, there are no therapies for the dry form. The transplantation of healthy RPE cells may provide a superior treatment for this devastating disorder. Cell Cures OpRegen is xeno-free, meaning that no animal products were used in the culture of the human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells. The use animal products to culture cells often results in the designation of the therapy as a xenotransplantation product, even though the cells themselves are of human origin. Xenotransplantation may raise purity issues, increasing the costs of product development along with other risks and uncertainties. The production of animal product-free OpRegen will therefore eliminate concerns of xenotransplantation and may provide cost savings in development and production should the product successfully complete clinical trials and be approved for human use.

About Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd.

Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. was established in 2005 as a subsidiary of ES Cell International Pte Ltd (ESI), now a subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (NYSE Amex:BTX). Cell Cure is located in Jerusalem, Israel on the campus of Hadassah University Hospital. Cell Cure’s mission is to become a leading supplier of human cell-based therapies for the treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases. Its technology platform is based on the manufacture of diverse cell products sourced from clinical grade (GMP) human embryonic stem cells. Its current programs include developing cells for the treatment of macular degeneration, Parkinson’s disease, and cells potentially useful in treating multiple sclerosis. Cell Cure’s major shareholders include: BioTime Inc. (NYSE Amex:BTX), Hadasit BioHoldings Ltd. (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange:HDST) and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd (NASDAQ:TEVA). Additional information about Cell Cure can be found on the web at www.cellcureneurosciences.com.

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 developed through subsidiaries focused on specific fields of applications. BioTime develops and markets research products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including a wide array of proprietary ACTCellerate cell lines, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime’s wholly owned subsidiary ES Cell International Pte. Ltd. has produced clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell lines that were derived following principles of Good Manufacturing Practice and currently offers them for use in research. 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. Cell Cure’s minority shareholder Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has an option to clinically develop and commercialize Cell Cure’s OpRegen retinal cell product for use in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. 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-DxTM currently being developed for the detection of cancer in blood samples, and therapeutic strategies using vascular progenitor cells engineered to destroy malignant tumors. 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 newest subsidiary, LifeMap Sciences, Inc., is developing an online database of the complex cell lineages arising from stem cells to guide basic research and to market BioTime’s research products. In addition to its stem cell products, BioTime develops blood plasma volume expanders, blood replacement solutions for hypothermic (low-temperature) surgery, and technology for use in surgery, emergency trauma treatment and other applications. 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 Corp. under exclusive licensing agreements. Additional information about BioTime, ReCyte Therapeutics, Cell Cure, OrthoCyte, OncoCyte, BioTime Asia, LifeMap Sciences, and ESI can be found on the web 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,” “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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BioTime’s Subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences, Ltd. Provides Update on OpRegen® Product Development

TIJUANA, Mexico, April 23, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Regenerative Medicine Institute, Mexico (RMI) will be among top scientists and physicians presenting cutting edge data at the International Society of Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). The ISSCR’s annual meeting has become the world’s premier stem cell research event. The meeting serves as the largest forum for stem cell and regenerative medicine professionals from around the world. The ISSCR 10th Annual Meeting will be held June 13 – 16, 2012 at the Pacifico Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan.

A summary of data on the use of adult stem cells from adipose tissue to treat heart failure and COPD will be presented by Kristin Comella, Chief Scientific Officer of Bioheart Inc. Bioheart is focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of autologous cell therapies for the treatment of chronic and acute heart damage and peripheral vascular disease. RMI is currently running Phase I/II trials at the Hospital Angeles in collaboration with Bioheart and the Ageless Regenerative Institute.

Dr. Javier Lopez, President and CEO of RMI and a member of ISSCR said that “We are proud to share our initial results with the scientific community at such a prestigious event.”

For more information on RMI, visit http://www.regenerativemedicine.mx

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Regenerative Medicine Institute, Mexico Presents Summary of Clinical Data at the International Society of Stem Cell …