Pluristem Therapeutics Was Awarded a $1.9 Million Grant From the Office of the Chief Scientist in the Israeli Government

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Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:30am EDT

HAIFA, Israel--(Business Wire)--
Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. (NasdaqCM:PSTI) (DAX:PJT), a bio-therapeutics
company dedicated to the commercialization of unrelated donor-patient
(allogeneic) cell therapy products for a variety of disorders, announced today
that the company was awarded a $1.9 million government grant from the Office of
the Chief Scientist (OCS) at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor of
Israel, as a government participation in R&D expenses for the period March 2009
to February 2010. The OCS awards grants to industry in Israel to foster
technological innovations. This is the fourth consecutive year that Pluristem
has received this respected grant. The funds will be designated and used by
Pluristem to support the clinical trials of the allogeneic placental-derived
adherent stromal cell product, termed PLX-PAD, for the treatment of critical
limb ischemia (CLI), the end-stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD), as well
as for other research and development activities of the Company. 

Mr. Zami Aberman, Pluristem`s President & CEO, commented: "Pluristem is becoming
a clinical company and we are pleased to receive the prestigious grant from the
OCS to support Pluristem`s upcoming clinical activities and to continue our R&D
discoveries. We believe that this grant is the Israeli government`s vote of
confidence in the potential of Pluristem to become a dominant participant in the
cell therapy market." 

About Pluristem

Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. is a bio-therapeutics company dedicated to the
commercialization of unrelated donor-patient (allogeneic) cell therapy products
for the treatment of several severe degenerative, ischemic and autoimmune
disorders. Pluristem's first product, PLX-PAD (for the treatment of Peripheral
Artery Disease), a "First-In-Human" placental-derived mesenchymal-like stromal
cell product, has received FDA and IMPD clearance and is being investigated in a
Phase I clinical trial. The Company is developing a pipeline of products derived
from human placenta, a non-controversial, non-embryonic, adult stem cell source.
The (PLacental eXpanded) cell products are stored off-the-shelf, ready-to-use,
and require no histocompatibility matching. 

These placental adherent stromal cells (ASCs) are expanded in the Company's
proprietary PluriXTM 3D bioreactor system, which provides a 3D microenvironment
that enables large-scale growth of these cells without the need for supplemental
growth factors or other exogenous materials. PLX cells are immune privileged,
possess immunomodulatory properties, and are expanded in vitro without showing
signs of phenotypic or karyotypic changes. Pluristem believes that the PLX
cells` mechanism of action may be related to the secretion of cytokines and/or
other potent immune modulators. 

The Company's additional product candidates include PLX-IBD, targeting
Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which includes Crohn`s disease and Ulcerative
Colitis; PLX-MS, targeting Multiple Sclerosis; PLX-BMT, targeting the global
shortfall of matched tissue for bone marrow transplantation by improving the
engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) contained in umbilical cord
blood; and PLX-STROKE, targeting ischemic stroke. 

Pluristem has offices in the USA with research and manufacturing facilities in
Israel. 

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part of this press release. 

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
"safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
and federal securities laws. For example, when we discuss the clinical trials of
the allogeneic placental-derived adherent stromal cell products, or when we say
that Pluristem is becoming a clinical company or that we believe that this grant
is the Israeli government`s vote of confidence in the potential of Pluristem to
become a dominant participant in the cell therapy market, we are using
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the
current expectations of the management of Pluristem 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. The following
factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from
those described in the forward-looking statements: changes in technology and
market requirements; we may encounter delays or obstacles in launching our
clinical trials; our technology may not be validated as we progress further and
our methods may not be accepted by the scientific community; we may be unable to
retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development
of our products; unforeseen scientific difficulties may develop with our
process; our products may wind up being more expensive than we anticipate;
results in the laboratory may not translate to equally good results in real
surgical settings; our patents may not be sufficient; our products may harm
recipients; changes in legislation; inability to timely develop and introduce
new technologies, products and applications; loss of market share and pressure
on pricing resulting from competition, which could cause the actual results or
performance of Pluristem to differ materially from those contemplated in such
forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, Pluristem
undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date
hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. For a more detailed
description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Pluristem, reference is
made to Pluristem's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. 

For more information visit our website at www.pluristem.com, the content of
which is not part of this press release. 



Pluristem Therapeutics Inc.
William Prather RPh, MD, +1-303-883-4954
Sr. VP Corporate Development
William.PratherMD@pluristem.com



Copyright Business Wire 2009

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