HAIFA, Israel, Dec. 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. (PSTI) (TASE:PLTR) today announced that pursuant to the previously announced exclusive out-license and strategic partnership agreement between Pluristem Ltd. and South Korea-based CHA Bio&Diostech (Kosdaq:CHA), the details of which were announced on June 26, 2013, Pluristem and CHA entered into investment agreements pursuant to which Pluristem has issued to CHA 2,500,000 shares of its common stock in consideration for the issuance to Pluristem of 1,011,504 shares of CHA. This reflects a total consideration of $10.4 million, at a price of $4.16 per Pluristem common share, a premium of 26% over the closing price on December 16, 2013. The shares are subject to a lock up period of one year.
The previously announced agreement with CHA encompasses the use of Pluristem’s PLX-PAD cells in the treatment of two subsets of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) in South Korea: Intermittent Claudication (IC) and Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI).
Zami Aberman, Pluristem’s Chairman and CEO stated, “We are excited to finalize and move forward with this strategic agreement with CHA Bio. We believe that initiating clinical trials with CHA Bio for indications in the area of peripheral vascular disease opens significant opportunities for Pluristem in South Korea’s dynamic regenerative medicine industry. We also look forward to potentially expanding the use of our PLX cells for other indications with our partner, CHA Bio.”
The first clinical study to be performed as part of the agreement will be a Phase II trial in IC which will run in parallel to the Phase II trial being conducted in the USA, Germany and Israel. As previously announced, this study was approved in November 2013 by South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Pursuant to the previously announced agreement with CHA, upon the first regulatory approval for a PLX product in South Korea, Pluristem and CHA Bio will establish a joint venture (JV) co-owned by the parties. The purpose of the JV will be to commercialize PLX cell products in South Korea. Additionally, Pluristem will be able to use the data generated by CHA Bio to pursue the development of PLX product candidates outside of South Korea.
About CHA Bio&Diostech
CHA Bio&Diostech Co., Ltd. is a leading biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South Korea; its R&D focuses on stem cells, cell therapeutics, medical device, and new drug development. The company is a member of CHA Health Systems Group, which is composed of a medical university, medical centers and hospitals located in the US and Korea with in excess of two thousand beds under care, stem cell research centers, personal & preventive medicine, and bio venture divisions. CHA Bio&Diostech has multiple stem cell R&D pipelines in therapeutic areas including Stargardt’s disease, age-related macular disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer disease, Cerebral Palsy and glioblastoma in mid-to late-stages of development. With its extensive experience and research infrastructure, CHA Bio&Diostech has built up multiple strategic relations with major research institutions in the fields of stem cell research and infertility. For more information visit www.chabio.com, the content of which is not part of this press release.
About Pluristem Therapeutics
Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. is a leading developer of placenta-based cell therapies. The Company’s patented PLX (PLacental eXpanded) cells are a drug delivery platform that releases a cocktail of therapeutic proteins in response to a host of local and systemic inflammatory and ischemic diseases. PLX cells are grown using the company’s proprietary 3D micro-environmental technology and are an “off-the-shelf” product that requires no tissue matching prior to administration.
Pluristem has a strong intellectual property position, company-owned GMP certified manufacturing and research facilities, strategic relationships with major research institutions and a seasoned management team. For more information visit www.pluristem.com, the content of which is not part of this press release.
