ALS stem cell clinical trials

barbara

Pioneer Founding member
Addition ALS stem cell clinical trials through Neuralstem

Wednesday, December 3, 2008
ROCKVILLE, Md. - Neuralstem Inc. (NYSE Alternext US: CUR) announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with the China Medical University & Hospital of Taiwan, to advance development of Neuralstem's human spinal cord neural stem cell therapies. The collaboration will focus on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) with Dr. Shinn-Zong Lin, MD, PhD as principle investigator.

"We are pleased to have established this collaboration in Taiwan," said Richard Garr, Neuralstem President & CEO. "The goal is to qualify our existing cGMP spinal cord cells into a human trial program to treat ALS in Taiwan. We would expect the Taiwan trial to follow the U.S. trial by about 6 to 9 months. As we prepare to submit an IND to treat ALS with our stem cells in the U.S. this fall, we continue to look for strategic relationships in both Europe and Asia that will allow us to move the cells into humans. Taiwan is a substantial and important market in Asia, and China Medical University is the National leader in innovative neurological research and treatments. We are very pleased to be adding them as another partner as we build out our worldwide network of neurosurgical centers capable of conducting clinical trials, and ultimately delivering our cell therapies."

About Neuralstem

Neuralstem's patented technology enables, for the first time, the ability to produce neural stem cells of the human brain and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and the ability to control the differentiation of these cells into mature, physiologically relevant human neurons and glia.

Major Central Nervous System diseases targeted by the Company with research programs currently underway include: Ischemic Spastic Paraplegia, Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury and ALS. The company's cells have extended the life of rats with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) as reported the journal TRANSPLANTATION, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University researchers, and also reversed paralysis in rats with Ischemic Spastic Paraplegia, as reported in NEUROSCIENCE on June 29, 2007, in collaboration with researchers at University of California San Diego. The Company expects to file its first IND (Investigational New Drug) application with the FDA for ALS in the fall.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements in this press release regarding potential applications of Neuralstem's technologies constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, uncertainty of clinical trial results or regulatory approvals or clearances, need for future capital, dependence upon collaborators and maintenance of our intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward- looking statements. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in Neuralstem's periodic reports, including the annual report on Form 10- KSB for the year ended December 31, 2007 and the quarterly report on form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2008.

Contacts:
Richard Garr, President of Neuralstem Inc
+1-301-366-4960;
Media
Deanne Eagle of Planet Communications
+1-917-837-5866

Investors
Ira Weingarten
+1-805-897-1880

Steve Chizzik
+1-908-688-9111
both of Equity Communications for Neuralstem Inc

Source: Neuralstem Inc.
 
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