StemEx(R) Noted as a Reliable Investigational Product of an Expanded Population of Stem Cells at Umbilical Cord Blood Symposium in Israel

StemEx(R) Noted as a Reliable Investigational Product of an Expanded
Population of Stem Cells at Umbilical Cord Blood Symposium in Israel
StemEx is Currently Being Studied in The International ExCell Phase II/III
Trial as a Treatment for Leukemia and Lymphoma

HERZLIYA, Israel, November 2 /PRNewswire/ -- At a symposium today in
Herzliya entitled Umbilical Cord Blood: An Alternative for Bone Marrow
Transplantation in Adults, bone marrow transplantation experts Professor
Patrick Stiff and Professor Guillermo Sanz addressed participants on the
current challenges presented by bone marrow transplantation and the
importance of investigating cord blood as an alternative source for treating
patients with leukemia and lymphoma.
Professor Stiff is the Director of the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center
and the Coleman Professor of Hematology/Oncology at Loyola University School
of Medicine in Chicago. Professsor Sanz is the Head of the Dept. of Bone
Marrow Transplantation; Dept. of Hematology, Hospital Universitario La Fe,
Valencia, Spain. The symposium was sponsored by the Gamida Cell-Teva Joint
Venture.
"We have performed more than 200 transplants at our center. The problem
is that in the case of a bone marrow transplant, it takes too much time from
transplant to engraftment. And, the longer the time to engraftment, the more
risk of complications," explained Professor Sanz. "Cord blood offers a real
alternative to bone marrow. And, cell dose is the most critical function of a
cord blood transplant. The main advantage of StemEx, therefore, is that is
offers a reliable investigational product and can provide a high rate of
expansion, 200x of the amount of stem cells. We think that StemEx will likely
result in a shorter time to engraftment and even potentially generate better
results than bone marrow transplantation in the long run."
Professor Stiff said, "StemEx has been proven in animal models. Now we
need to prove that it can have the same results in humans and this trial will
do so. So far we've been impressed. While this is not our first trial using
expansion technology, it is the first time at our center that we are able to
transplant significantly more stem cells."
He continued, "The challenge is getting the word out to referring
physicians and for physicians to refer in time. We need to see patients at
first remission or upon diagnosis. It is disappointing for us and the
patients when they are sent late and are not eligible for this type of
innovative therapy. The more lead time we have, the better."
About StemEx
StemEx is a graft of an expanded population of stem/progenitor cells,
derived from part of a single unit of umbilical cord blood and transplanted
intravenously along with the remaining unit of non-manipulated cells. It is
currently being evaluated in an international, Phase II/III, FDA, pivotal
registration study called ExCell, now enrolling adolescents and adults with
high-risk lymphoid and hematologic malignancies, at clinical sites in the
U.S., Italy, Spain, Hungary and Israel. (http://www.stemexstudy.com ). StemEx
is being developed by the joint venture of Gamida Cell and Teva
Pharmaceutical Industries (NASDAQ: Teva). Market launch is anticipated for
2011.
About Gamida Cell
Gamida Cell Ltd. is a world leader in stem cell expansion technologies
and therapeutic products. The company is developing a pipeline of products in
stem cell transplantation and in tissue regeneration to effectively treat
debilitating and often fatal illnesses such as cancer, hematological,
autoimmune and ischemic diseases. Gamida Cell's therapeutic candidates
contain populations of adult stem cells, selected from non-controversial
sources such as umbilical cord blood and bone marrow, which are expanded in
culture. Gamida Cell was successful in translating these proprietary
expansion technologies into robust and validated manufacturing processes
under GMP. Gamida Cell's flagship product, StemEx, is now being studied as a
therapy for patients with blood cancers in an international pivotal trial at
leading transplant centers in the U.S., Europe and Israel. StemEx has orphan
drug designation in the U.S. and in Europe. Gamida Cell's current
shareholders include: Elbit Imaging, Biomedical Investment, Israel Healthcare
Venture, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Amgen, Denali Ventures and Auriga
Ventures. For more information, please visit: http://www.gamida-cell.com.
Press contact:
Marjie Hadad
Media Liaison/IR
Gamida Cell
marjie@gamida-cell.com
+972-54-536-5220

SOURCE Gamida Cell LTD

Press contact: Marjie Hadad, Media Liaison/IR, Gamida Cell,
marjie@gamida-cell.com, +972-54-536-5220