NEWARK, Calif., May 9, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM - News) today announced that Armin Curt, MD, FRCPC, Professor and Chairman, Spinal Cord Injury Center at the University of Zurich, and Medical Director of the Paraplegic Center at the Balgrist University Hospital and principal investigator for the Company's Phase I/II clinical trial in chronic spinal cord injury, will provide a progress report on the trial on Thursday, May 17 at the Interdependence 2012 Global SCI Conference. Interdependence 2012, which is being held in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 15-17, 2012, is jointly organized by the Rick Hansen Institute, a Canadian not-for-profit organization committed to accelerating the translation of discoveries and best practices into improved treatments for people with spinal cord injuries, and the Rick Hansen Foundation.

In addition, on Thursday, May 17, Stephen Huhn, MD, FACS, FAAP, Vice President and Head of the CNS Program at StemCells, Inc., will make a presentation on neural stem cell transplantation in neurological disorders. Dr. Huhn will describe the scientific and preclinical rationale for the Company's extensive clinical development program which encompasses all three elements of the central nervous system -- spinal cord, brain, and eye. StemCells was the first company to receive authorizations from the US Food and Drug Administration and Swissmedic to conduct clinical trials to evaluate purified human neural stem cells as potential therapeutic agents.

The goal of Interdependence 2012 is to bring together international healthcare and research facilities to showcase their work through presentations, workshops and exhibits and discuss how to advance research, implement new best practices and shape the next generation of spinal cord injury research.

About the Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trial

The Phase I/II clinical trial of StemCells, Inc.'s HuCNS-SC(R) purified human adult neural stem cells is designed to assess both safety and preliminary efficacy. Twelve patients with thoracic (chest-level) neurological injuries at the T2-T11 level are planned for enrollment. The Company has dosed the first three patients all of whom have injuries classified as AIS A, in which there is no neurological function below the injury level. The second and third cohorts will be patients classified as AIS B and AIS C, those with less severe injury, in which there is some preservation of sensory or motor function. In addition to assessing safety, the trial will assess preliminary efficacy based on defined clinical endpoints, such as changes in sensation, motor and bowel/bladder function.

All patients will receive HuCNS-SC cells through direct transplantation into the spinal cord and will be temporarily immunosuppressed. Patients will be evaluated regularly in the post-transplant period in order to monitor and assess the safety of the HuCNS-SC cells, the surgery and the immunosuppression, as well as to measure any recovery of neurological function below the injury site. The Company intends to follow the effects of this therapy long-term, and a separate four-year observational study will be initiated at the conclusion of this trial.

The trial is being conducted at Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, a world leading medical center for spinal cord injury and rehabilitation, and is open for enrollment to patients in Europe, Canada and the United States. For information on patient enrollment, interested parties may contact the study nurse either by phone at +41 44 386 39 01, or by email at stemcells.pz@balgrist.ch.

Additional information about the Company's spinal cord injury program can be found on the StemCells, Inc. website at http://www.stemcellsinc.com/Therapeutic-Programs/Clinical-Trials.htm and at http://www.stemcellsinc.com/Therapeutic-Programs/Spinal-Cord-Injury.htm, including video interviews with Company executives and independent collaborators.

About Balgrist University Hospital

Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich is recognized worldwide as a highly specialized center of excellence providing examination, treatment and rehabilitation opportunities to patients with serious musculoskeletal conditions. The clinic owes its leading international reputation to its unique combination of specialized medical services. The hospital's carefully-balanced, interdisciplinary network brings together under one roof medical specialties including orthopedics, paraplegiology, radiology, anesthesiology, rheumatology, and physical medicine. More information about Balgrist University Hospital is available at http://www.balgrist.ch.

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StemCells, Inc. to Provide Progress Report on Spinal Cord Injury Trial at the Interdependence 2012 Global SCI ...

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