International Stem Cell Corporation Completes $5 Million Financing and Elects Jim Berglund to the Board of Directors

CARLSBAD, Calif. (March 12, 2012) – International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO) www.internationalstemcell.com, a California-based biotechnology company focused on therapeutic, cosmetic and research products, announced today that it had obtained new capital financing and made important changes in the composition of its Board of Directors to ensure that Independent Directors hold the majority of Board seats.

The financing consists of $5 million in newly issued Series G Convertible Preferred Stock (without warrants), convertible into Common Stock at a conversion price of $0.40/share, the market price of the Company’s Common Stock on the date the offer to purchase was made.  This financing was made by AR Partners LLC, a healthcare investment firm owned by Dr. Andrey Semechkin ISCO’s CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Concurrently with the closing of this financing, the Company elected to its Board of Directors Dr. James Berglund, co-founder of Enterprise Partners Venture Capital - one of the premier venture capital firms in the field of healthcare technology founded in 1985. Dr. Berglund, with his extensive professional experience, continues as an active participant in the biotech and healthcare industries. Dr. Berglund will replace Kenneth C. Aldrich, co-founder and former CEO of the Company during the period 2008-2009, who is stepping down as ISCO Board of Directors Co-Chairman. Although Mr. Aldrich is retiring from our Board, he will remain as one of ISCO’s largest shareholders and an active consultant to the Board and executive management and will continue to represent the Company as “Chairman Emeritus” in a variety of public and private venues.

According to Mr. Aldrich, “In my view, Dr. Semechkin’s willingness to commit such a significant amount of capital to ISCO at the market price of the Company’s stock on the date of his offer represents a major vote of confidence in ISCO’s future by its most senior executive. We are thankful to Dr. Semechkin for his support that will further advance ISCO’s parthenogenetic stem cell-based therapeutic programs and income generating businesses.”

Having a majority of independent directors on our company’s Board represents an important step in ISCO’s development and in transforming ISCO into a leading public company in the field of regenerative medicine.

“I want to thank Mr. Aldrich for his long-standing dedication and continued involvement in guiding the Company,” said Dr. Semechkin. “This long-term investment, along with the new executive management team recruited over the previous twelve months, will provide ISCO with the necessary economic stability and resources to pursue its goals of consolidating our leadership position and accelerating our therapeutic programs” continued Dr. Semechkin.

About International Stem Cell Corporation

International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products.  ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). HpSCs avoid ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos.  ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells with minimal immune rejection after transplantation into hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial backgrounds.  This offers the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell™.  ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology, and cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care.  More information is available at www.internationalstemcell.com.

To subscribe to receive ongoing corporate communications, please click on the following link: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0.

Forward-looking Statements

Statements pertaining to anticipated developments and other opportunities for the company 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 and the management of collaborations, regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, application of capital resources among competing uses, 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 company's business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

International Stem Cell Corporation

Andrey Semechkin, Co-Chairman and CEO

760-940-6383

aes@intlstemcell.com

Kurt May, President/COO

760-940-6383

kmay@intlstemcell.com

Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates 

Don Markley (dmarkley@lhai.com)

310-691-7100

International Stem Cell Corporation to Present at the Roth Conference on March 14, 2012

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO) today announced that Co-Chairman Kenneth Aldrich and President and Chief Operating Officer Kurt May will be presenting at the 24th Annual Roth Conference on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time. The conference is being held March 11-14 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Dana Point, California.

About International Stem Cell Corporation

International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). hpSCs avoid ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial background with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell™. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology, and cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care. More information is available at www.internationalstemcell.com.

To subscribe to receive ongoing corporate communications, please click on the following link: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0.

International Stem Cell Corporation

Kenneth C. Aldrich, Co-Chairman

760-940-6383

kaldrich@intlstemcell.com

PRWEB: Absorption Systems Expands In Vivo Drug and Medical Device Testing Capabilities

Preclinical contract research organization renovates facility, adding state-of-the-art technology and upgrading ocular testing services.

Exton, PA (PRWEB) January 31, 2012

Absorption Systems announces the latest in a series of milestones in the continuing expansion of its AAALAC-accredited and GLP-compliant facility in San Diego, CA. The facility is undergoing extensive renovations to upgrade and expand the company’s in vivo testing capabilities for drugs and medical devices, including the construction of a dedicated ocular testing laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment, including a Heidelberg Spectralis® optical coherence tomography (OCT) unit. This instrument produces detailed digital images of the retina, enabling precise monitoring of the efficacy and toxicity of drugs and medical devices. Absorption Systems’ San Diego facility, in the midst of a major expansion of staff, equipment, and capabilities in the specialized area of preclinical ocular drug and device testing, continues to see significant growth year-over-year early in 2012.

Glenwood Gum, M.S., Ph.D., who joined Absorption Systems in 2011 as Associate Director, Preclinical Studies, commented, “This OCT technology gives a huge boost to our ocular testing capabilities, which will immediately benefit our rapidly expanding client base.” Dr. Gum is an expert in preclinical ocular studies, having developed or co-developed many of the preclinical models of glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinoblastoma, uveitis, and diabetic retinopathy that are used all over the world for drug testing. His expertise, along with dedicated staff and the addition of state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, are key to Absorption Systems’ strategy to aggressively pursue new business opportunities in the preclinical ocular testing arena.

Dr. Gum will be a featured speaker on Preclinical Glaucoma and CNV Models at the 4th Ocular Diseases and Drug Discovery conference in Las Vegas, NV February 27-28, 2012.

Patrick Dentinger, President and CEO of Absorption Systems, said, “For Absorption Systems, being a market leader in whatever endeavor we pursue is a cornerstone of our business philosophy. This requires scientific expertise, state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, and access to emerging technologies. These factors, combined with Absorption Systems’ customer-centric approach, make our commitment to being a top-tier ocular service provider a reality in 2012.”

Absorption Systems’ preclinical ocular test portfolio includes in vivo ocular pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety in multiple species, as well as in vitro ocular permeability and metabolism. For example, the human corneal orb is a unique in vitro permeability model available as a service platform only through Absorption Systems. The corneal orb, cultured from human pluripotent stem cells, was developed by Lifeline Cell Technology, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Stem Cell Corporation, and has been validated by Absorption Systems as an in vitro corneal permeability test system.

About Absorption Systems
Absorption Systems, founded in 1996, assists pharmaceutical and medical device companies in identifying and overcoming ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity) barriers in the development of drugs and medical devices. The company's mission is to continually develop innovative research tools that can be used to accurately predict human outcomes or to explain unanticipated human outcomes when they occur. The CellPort Technologies® platform, a suite of human cell-based test systems for drug transporter characterization, exemplifies Absorption Systems' commitment to innovation and is soon to be an industry assay standard for in vitro drug interaction assessment. Absorption Systems has facilities near Philadelphia, PA, and San Diego, CA, and serves customers throughout the world. For information on the company's comprehensive contract services and applied research programs, please visit http://www.absorption.com.


SOURCE: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9153045.htm

International Stem Cell Corporation - "How Is Parthenogenesis Done?"

San Diego Research Ethics ConsortiumSalk Institute for Biological Studies

Parthenogenetic stem cell lines:  Ethical considerations

International Stem Cell’s Director of Research and Therapeutic Development, Nikolay Turovets, PhD, presents “How is Parthenogenesis Done?”

How is Parthenogenesis Done? (ANIMATED)

RegBlog: Over-Regulation of Parthenotes Stifles Valuable Scientific Research - by Sean J. Kealy

A recent article in Scientific American questioned whether research on stem cell lines derived from unfertilized eggs was too tightly regulated by the federal government.  Now that technology allows the creation of stem cells without fertilization, there is no question that federal laws and guidelines are overly restrictive, causing a detrimental effect on valuable scientific inquiry.  

Since 1996, Congress has included the Dickey-Wicker Amendment in the annual federal budget.  This amendment was a conservative reaction to what some considered to be scientific research that showed little respect toward life.  

For example, speaking to the Senate in 1996, Robert Smith (R-NH) said, “Just because a private party wants to destroy life, why should Government force taxpayers to give their blessing to that act?  Let private parties use private money for their ethically challenged experiments.”  Similarly, Representative Jay Dickey (R-AR) said, also in 1996, that embroyonic research was “an attack on the sanctity of life,” and pointed out that several pro-life organizations supported the amendment. 

Please click here to read the complete article. 

Source: http://www.law.upenn.edu/blogs/regblog/2011/12/over-regulation-of-parthenotes-stifles-valuable-scientific-research.ht

Fox News: Stem Cell Cream Shows Benefits Similar to Collagen Injections

Could a stem cell skin care line be coming to a store near you?

Researchers from the International Stem Cell Corporation said they have discovered a new class of pluripotent stem cells that have the same characteristics as embryonic stem cells – but don’t require destroying human embryos.

Dr. Simon Craw, vice president of the International Stem Cell Corporation, said extracts from these stem cells—called parthenogenetic stem cells—have shown benefits regarding skin care.

The scientists stumbled upon the discovery while doing stem cell research for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.  They essentially cracked open the cells and removed the proteins and peptides from the inside to use as part of a mixture for a topical skin cream.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/12/14/stem-cell-cream-shows-benefits-similar-to-collagen-injections/#ixzz1gdYqwgGC

Human Parthenogenetic Stem Cell Derived Neuronal Cells as a Tool for Parkinson’s Disease Treatment by Dr. Ruslan Semechkin

Human Parthenogenetic Stem Cell Derived Neuronal Cells as a Tool for Parkinson’s Disease Treatment by Dr. R...