Asterias Bio’s cell therapy continues to demonstrate treatment effect in spinal cord injury patients; shares ahead 12% – Seeking Alpha

Thinly traded micro cap Asterias Biotherapeutics (AST +12.4%) perks up on light volume in response to its update on its ongoing SciStar Phase 1/2a clinical trial assessing the 10M-cell dose of AST-OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) in patients with sub-acute C-5 to C-7 cervical spinal cord injury (SCI).

Data on the sixth and final patient in the AIS-A (complete injury, no motor function below the injury site) 10M cell cohort showed upper extremity motor function improvement at month 3 and further improvement in month 6. The results were consistent with the five previous patients. Upper extremity motor function is the most desirable functional improvement in the quadriplegic population.

CEO Steve Cartt says, "These results are quite encouraging, and suggest that there are meaningful improvements in the recovery of functional ability in patients treated with the 10 million cell dose of AST-OPC1 versus spontaneous recovery rates observed in a closely matched untreated patient population. We look forward to reporting additional efficacy and safety data for this cohort, as well as for the currently-enrolling AIS-A 20 million cell and AIS-B 10 million cell cohorts, later this year."

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Asterias Bio's cell therapy continues to demonstrate treatment effect in spinal cord injury patients; shares ahead 12% - Seeking Alpha