BioTime CEO Dr. Michael West Discusses State Of Stem Cell Industry Under Obama Administration At Wisconsin Academy Of Sciences, Arts, And Letters

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Conferences
Article Date: 20 Nov 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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BioTime, Inc. (OTCBB:BTIM) Chief Executive Officer Michael West, Ph.D. delivered the keynote presentation on Wednesday, November 19, at a meeting in Madison, Wisconsin commemorating the 10th anniversary of the publication describing the first derivation and culturing of human embryonic stem cells. Dr. West's presentation is titled "Opportunities and Challenges of Commercializing Stem Cell Research." The Wisconsin Academy, along with University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), hosted the two-day event titled "A Decade Celebrating Stem Cells: Changing the Face of Medicine Ten Years Later" to commemorate the publication of the first derivation of human embryonic stem cells and to examine future trends.

Dr. West's presentation included a historical overview of the biotechnology industry, a description of historical trends in the industry of commercializing stem cell technology, and a discussion of future opportunities for the field. Dr. West discussed BioTime's stem cell research program that is focused on opportunities for near-term revenues in the development and marketing of products derived from stem cells.

Dr. West announced the launch of ten new cell line products and presented data on their unique properties and potential utility in regenerative medicine. The molecular markers of these lines are consistent with varied types of human neural crest, mesodermal, and CNS progenitor cells that have promise for the treatment of numerous diseases such as cranial-facial, muscular, and neurological disorders. Information about these cell lines will be available online at http://www.embryome.com starting Monday, November 24, 2008, and the cells themselves are now available for purchase for research purposes only through the same website.

Lastly, Dr. West discussed federal policies relating to the industry of regenerative medicine. He announced an open letter to President-Elect Obama signed by 22 scientists and economists (including 19 Nobel laureates), urging the new Administration to make regenerative medicine, specifically, the cure of human disease, a national priority, similar in scope to the Kennedy Administration's commitment to land a man on the moon within that decade. The text of the letter to President-Elect Obama is available online at www.biotimeinc.com.

About BioTime, Inc.

BioTime, headquartered in Alameda, California, develops blood plasma volume expanders, blood replacement solutions for hypothermic (low temperature) surgery, organ preservation solutions, and technology for use in surgery, emergency trauma treatment and other applications. BioTime's lead product Hextend is manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by Hospira, Inc. and in South Korea by CJ CheilJedang Corp. under exclusive licensing agreements.

BioTime has recently entered the field of regenerative medicine through its wholly owned subsidiary Embryome Sciences, Inc. where it plans to develop new medical and research products using embryonic stem cell technology. Additional information about BioTime can be found on the web athttp://www.biotimeinc.com. Hextend®, PentaLyte®, HetaCool®, EmbryomicsTM, ESpyTM, and ESpanTM, are trademarks of BioTime, Inc.

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BioTime, Inc.