Brainstorm Cell reports positive interim results in ALS trial

The company's bone marrow stem cell treatment improved patients' ability to breathe and swallow, and their muscular function.

17 January 12 18:45, Gali Weinreb

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Ltd. (Bulletin Board:BCLI) today announced positive interim results in its Phase I clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of its adult stem cell treatment of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease). The company reports indications that the treatment improved the condition of the first six patients enrolled in the study.

The study report sent to the company stated that the patients' ability to breathe, swallow, and muscular function improved and that there were no substantial side effects. There is no cure for the lethal disease, and any improvement in patients is considered good news.

Brainstorm Cell's treatment is extremely innovative, as it is based on injections of bone marrow stem cells into the brain tissue so cells will differentiate into nerve cells and excrete the enzymes that are missing in ALS patients.

The trial does not have a control group, nor are there any accurate markers to assess the condition of ALS patients. The assessment of improvement in the condition of the participating patients is based on clinical observation and the patients' reports, and therefore subject to psychological influences. Since there is a risk of over-optimism, more data is necessary to assess whether the company's treatment is successful and a breakthrough in stem cell treatments.

Brainstorm Cell's NurOwn technology was developed by Professor Eldad Melamed and Professor Daniel Offen of Tel Aviv University.

Brainstorm Cell's share price closed at $0.30 in New York yesterday, giving a market cap of $37 million.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 17, 2012

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