PFIZER BUYS STEM CELL COMPANY ATHERSYS & Acquires Stem-Cell Therapy Product MulitStem
By ANDREW POLLACK
Published: December 21, 2009 - Pfizer said Sunday that it was buying the rights to a somewhat controversial cell therapy from Athersys, a biotechnology company — a sign of big pharmaceutical companies’ growing interest in (ADULT or REPAIR) stem cells.
Why is this controversial? There are no embryos involved. These are adult or repair stem cells. There are thousands of clinical trials and tens of thousands of scholarly papers showing their safety and efficacy. If a new cancer drug comes out that is not through all stages of clinical trials it is not controversial; why is this? -dg
Athersys’s cells, derived from human bone marrow (these are Adult or Repair Stem Cells, not embryonic - dg), have not yet been tested in people with inflammatory bowel disease, a term that encompasses
ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. But the product, called MultiStem, is in early human testing as a treatment for heart attacks and for
cancer patients receiving bone marrow transplants.
Pfizer will have the rights to develop Athersys’s cells to treat inflammatory bowel diseases, the companies are expected to announce on Monday.
CLICK PICTURE for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis, Crohn's Disease Treatment Info
STOCK ALERT
Pfizer will pay Athersys $6 million initially and up to $105 million in the future. Athersys [ NASDAQ:ATHX ] soared as high as $3.95 today on the news and has leveled off to $2.80, a 180% gain by noon today.)
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Pfizer Acquires MultiStem, a Therapy Based on Stem Cells - NYTimes.com.
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