BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, Inc. announced that an influx of patients from around the world are requesting to be included in studies targeting ALS therapy at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem. ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and potentially effects as many as 30,000 Americans, and 750 Israeli citizens.
BrainStorm is a biotech company that focuses on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS. Their main technology is based around adult stem cell therapy products that are obtained through autologous bone marrow cells; that is, cells that are taken from a patient’s own marrow. BrainStorm has exclusive licensing rights to this technology through an agreement with Ramot at Tel Aviv University Ltd.
The studies are based around BrainStorm’s NurOwn technology, which modifies autologous stem cells for ALS treatment. Adrian Harel, Actic CEO of BrainStorm, said that he has been contacted by many ALS patients throughout the U.S., Europe and Arab nations for information on and to be included in the study.
Prof. Dimitrios Karussis, M.D. Ph.D., leader of the clinical trial and head of Hadassah’s MS Center, said, “So far there has been no effective treatment, nothing even close to arrest progression of ALS. This is definitely the first and biggest hope now in this field.”
Chaim Lebovits, President of Brainstorm, added “This clinical study is very important for patients and for their families, because it gives hope that doesn’t exist right now.”
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