Pluristem Therapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq:PSTI; DAX: PJT: PLTR) has been asked to submit its PLacental eXpanded (PLX) cells to US National Institutes of Health unit National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for evaluation in models of the acute radiation syndrome (ARS).
Pluristem ARS Project director Dr. Liat Flaishon said, "NIAID extended this invitation to Pluristem after the company presented animal data demonstrating the efficacy of PLX cells in the treatment of ARS earlier this year."
Pluristem has reported that animals treated with PLX-RAD cells experienced a four-fold increase in the survival rate, accompanied by a corresponding weight regain seen in irradiated animals, compared with animals that received a placebo. The study was part of a collaborative agreement with Hadassah University Medical Center by Laboratory of Biotechnology and Radiobiology director Prof. Raphael Gorodetsky. Governments worldwide have broadened their search for easily administered and effective radiation countermeasures.
Pluristem chairman and CEO Zami Aberman said, "We are looking forward to establishing a relationship with NIAID that will help develop a treatment to mitigate the devastating consequences of exposure to toxic levels of radiation. In addition to developing a treatment for ARS, the data generated from future studies will also be extremely useful in helping us use our PLX cells for other indications, such as the rescue of bone marrow following radiotherapy or chemotherapy."
ARS is caused exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation from a nuclear incident, such as a nuclear power plant accident. Candidate drug evaluations could include pharmacokinetic, dosing, dose schedule optimization and efficacy studies in both the hematopoietic and gastrointestinal syndromes of ARS and will be performed, subject to NIAID approval, at NIAID contract facilities.
Pluristem's share price rose 5.7% by mid-afternoon on the TASE today to NIS 14.80, after rising 5% on Nasdaq yesterday to $3.34, giving a market cap of $150 million.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 26, 2012