There is another good reason for Investing in Athersys(NASDAQ:ATHX). A new research shows Athersys’ stem cell technology could possess therapeutic benefits in treating spinal cord injuries.
Researchers discovered that administering Athersys’ MultiStem technology to rodents with spinal injuries reduced inflammation and promoted the regrowth of neurons, according to a testimony from Athersys and the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
The study was conducted by Athersys and Case researchers and will be in print in the January issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
“This study demonstrates for the first time that an adult stem cell is capable of modifying multiple aspects of the wound response following a spinal cord injury,” said Jerry Silver a professor in Case’s Department of Neurosciences.
For Athersys, the study represents yet another potential application of MultiStem, an off-the-shelf stem cell treatment derived from the bone marrow of adults or other non-embryonic sources. MultiStem is also being studied in the treatment of blood cancer, cardiovascular disease and inflammatory bowel syndrome. Its most promising application may be for stroke.
Still, because MultiStem has only been tested for spinal injury in rodents thus far, it’s many years away from being ready for the regulatory review required to enter the market – and that’s if everything goes well in subsequent years of testing. “Significant research remains before we can apply these methods in human therapy,” Athersys CEO Gil Van Bokkelen said.
Earlier this month, Athersys said it had completed patient enrollment in the single-dose portion of a clinical trial that’s treating blood cancer patients with MultiStem.
MultiStem is a patented and proprietary product consisting of a clinical grade preparation of adult (non-embryonic) stem cells obtained from bone marrow that have the potential ability to produce a range of factors and form multiple cell types. MultiStem appears to work through several mechanisms, but a primary mechanism appears to be the production of therapeutic proteins and other molecules produced in response to inflammation and tissue damage. Athersys believes that MultiStem represents a unique “off-the-shelf” stem cell product based on its apparent ability to be used without tissue matching or immunosuppression and its capacity for large-scale production.
It may be right time to invest in ATHX as it is consistently producing good news. Other plus points are:
- Excellent long term growth potential
- The shares outstanding are extremely low for ATHX( only 18 mil)
- 1 year of cash in bank
- Burn rate coming down
- Partnerships with leading companies
- Positive trial outcome
- Able to bypass stage 1 and move to stage 2
- Trials being financed by partner