Today before the opening bell, International Stem Cell Corp. announced that it has entered into the second phase of the existing Research Agreement with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (“Rohto”), a global Japanese pharmaceutical company recognized as the second-largest consumer health company in Japan.
Rohto acknowledged that ISCO’s human parthenogenetic neural stem cells (hpNSCs) demonstrate consistent high quality and are suitable for further use in Rohto’s research. This was determined after successfully completing preliminary studies of ISCO’s proprietary cells. If Rohto successfully validates hpNSCs’ efficacy in rodent models, which could lead to a possible treatment of a variety of degenerative eye disorders, Rohto plans to enter into negotiations of a definitive license agreement with ISCO in order to license the company’s proprietary technology for therapeutic and commercial use.
“Based on hpNSCs known performance in various animal models we expect that in the next four months Rohto will be able to demonstrate the efficacy of these stem cells in treating retinal degenerative disorders,” stated Ruslan Semechkin, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of ISCO.
For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com
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