VIENNA, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE MKT: CVM), a late-stage oncology company, announced today that Daniel Zimmerman, Ph.D., its Senior Vice President of Research, Cellular Immunology, delivered a scientific presentation at the 12th Vaccines Research & Development: All Things Considered Conference in Boston, Massachusetts held on July 9-11, 2014.

The presentation entitled “The next generation of Rheumatoid Arthritis therapies: What has been learned from therapeutic vaccines for models of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Is IL-17 the real key to new therapies?” discussed the potential role CEL-SCI’s LEAPS vaccines might have on the future treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. The presentation centered on the theory that using LEAPS vaccines to treat a complex disease like Rheumatoid Arthritis can be beneficial because CEL-SCI’s vaccine can be synthesized to stimulate the appropriate immune response to treat the disease based on its immunodominant cytokine phenotype, which can be predetermined before treatment. The ability to customize the LEAPS treatment in this way offers clear benefits, as compared to using one therapeutic approach such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that are used today but are not universally applicable across all rheumatoid arthritis patients. The Company presented data which showed that LEAPS vaccines act at an earlier point in the progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis than any other therapy and with more specificity.

According to a survey conducted by Decision Resources, rheumatologists believe there is a high unmet need for Rheumatoid Arthritis therapies which induce remission in a greater percentage of Rheumatoid Arthritis patients than currently available agents. The world rheumatoid arthritis drug market will generate revenues of $38.5 billion in 2017, according to Visiongain.

The data presented included results from studies conducted at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois in the laboratories of Tibor Glant, MD, Ph.D., The Jorge O. Galante Professor of Orthopedic Surgery; Katalin Mickecz, MD, Ph.D. Professor of Orthopedic Surgery & Biochemistry; and Allison Finnegan, Ph.D. Professor of Medicine. The presentation also drew on work published from others in related autoimmune conditions conducted in animal models and human studies that tested various treatments that are approved or still under investigation. These data supported CEL-SCI’s theory that vaccine therapies are more disease specific and act upstream, which are considered advantages, compared to current therapies.

“We have now shown and believe that LEAPS therapies that are tailored to either Th1 or Th17 in Rheumatoid Arthritis models should produce better results than therapies currently on the market, and we expect these findings would be similar in other models and human diseases including multiple sclerosis, uveitis and other autoimmune conditions. We believe that this helps explain why other therapies that are for Th1 signature conditions may not work with Th17 based approach and vice versa. As opposed to current therapies available or in development, LEAPS vaccines target the immune response well before the production of the signature cytokines and not after the cytokines have been produced and released in the inflammatory processes of autoimmune diseases. In our effort to better understand the significance of a T-cell signature cytokine phenotype, our analysis of other related publications indicated that either a Th1 or Th17 cytokine profile in four different animal autoimmune models were specifically induced and discussed for only that particular disease model. However the meanings for therapeutic interventions or overall significance in light of each other were not recognized,” stated Dr. Zimmerman.

PETACH TIKVA, Israel, July 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE MKT: CANF) (CFBI.TA), a biotechnology company with a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drugs that address inflammatory and cancer diseases, announced today that the Israeli Ministry of Health (MOH) has approved the use of its drug CF102 for a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer, under the country’s Compassionate Use Program. The program allows doctor-initiated single-patient access to investigational treatments for innovative or investigational products not yet registered in any country worldwide. Can-Fite has also previously received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for CF102 in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

This patient was previously enrolled in Can-Fite’s Phase I/II dose escalating liver cancer study in Israel and has been successfully treated with CF102 for about 5 years. Data from the completed Phase I/II study demonstrated a very favorable safety profile, lack of hepatotoxicity, stabilization of the disease in 22% of patients, prolonged survival time as compared to placebo and regression of skin tumor metastases.

Based on these encouraging results, Can-Fite has begun a global Phase II trial for CF102 as a second-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with Child-Pugh Class B cirrhosis in patients who have failed Nexavar (sorafenib) which is the only FDA approved drug for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The Phase II study will be conducted in the U.S., Europe, and Israel with 78 subjects who will be dosed with CF102. The study protocol has been approved in Israel and the U.S., and approval is expected from the Europe Union.

According to Global Industry Analysts, the global liver cancer drug market is expected to exceed $2 billion by 2015.

“We are so pleased the Ministry of Health has granted continued use of CF102 under the Compassionate Use Program for this patient who appears to have benefitted greatly from our drug. Prior to enrolling in our Phase I/II study, the patient had undergone all other approved treatments and they had failed to halt the progression of the disease. We are told by his doctor that he is in strong and stable health and we wish him continued wellbeing,” stated Can-Fite CEO Dr. Pnina Fishman. “We believe that the very favorable safety data from our Phase I/II trial may have been a key factor in the MOH’s decision to approve CF102 for compassionate use.”

EVEN YEHUDA, Israel, July 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ —

Bluesphere Corp. (BLSP) (the “Company” or “Bluesphere”), a clean energy company that develops, manages and owns waste-to-energy projects, announced today the receipt of a term sheet from Energy Power Partners (“EPP”) for full equity financing of over $15 million for its 3.2 megawatt (MW) waste-to-energy project in Johnston, Rhode Island. The facility will generate clean electricity from biogas derived from organic waste.

Bluesphere and EPP have agreed to enter into a final, definitive agreement by no later than August 30, 2014 pursuant to which the funds will be made available to the Company in cash for the construction and implementation of the Johnston project subject to completion of final due diligence by EPP.

“We already launched the Johnston project based on our own funds and other agreements entered into for the financing of this anaerobic digestion facility. However, EPP is an extremely desirable partner not only for its expertise and experience in implementing projects of this nature, but also because it is offering to finance this project with 100% equity. Not having debt creates greater cash flow and minimizes restrictive covenants. Bluesphere will maintain a meaningful equity stake in the project, while also earning project management fees and profit-sharing with build-in performance incentives. This is another huge milestone in the development of this project,” stated Bluesphere CEO Shomi Palas. “We have started the Johnson project on time and we anticipate reaching commercial operations and delivering power by December 2015.”

Bluesphere recently announced it signed a Letter of Intent with a company in the recycling and waste industries which will supply between 100-200 tons of organic waste per day to the Johnston waste-to-energy facility. Agreements and other Letters of Intent are in place for a 15 year electricity purchase agreement, site lease with purchase option, compost off-take agreement, and EPC contractor.

Bluesphere generates electricity from biogas derived from organic waste, which is mostly food waste, and sells this electricity to leading electric companies through long-term power purchase agreements. Waste-to-energy is one of the fastest growing segments in the renewable energy markets. According to SBI Energy, the thermal and biological segments reached $6 billion in 2012 and will reach $29 billion by 2022.

BOTHELL, WA–(Marketwired – Jul 10, 2014) – Borneo Resource Investments Ltd. (OTCQB: BRNE) (the “Company” or “Borneo”), a mining company that mines gold and develops producing gold mining properties in Indonesia, today announced that the latest production run at its Ratatotok South site has exceeded 2 kilograms of gold on a heap leach base of 2,500 metric tons of ore.

In announcing this result, Borneo CEO Nils Ollquist stated, “We have been steadily building our output levels from our first heap leach base since trials began earlier this year. This latest result confirms that our extraction rate is improving steadily as we fine tune the chemical mix and balance of the ‘irrigation’ process. Our second leach base which will have a capacity of 5,000 metric tons is scheduled for completion by the end of July and should be fully operational by August. This leach base will service all three of our Ratatotok properties.”

“For the balance of 2014 we are working towards bringing our two additional gold properties, at Ratatotok and Ratatotok Southeast, into production as we continue to assess additional gold properties for potential acquisition. We previously announced that we expect quarterly revenues and operating income to increase in the subsequent quarters of 2014 as better extraction rates, weather and efficiency at Ratatotok South are expected to lead to an increase in revenues and productivity. This most recent production run confirms this expectation,” Ollquist concluded.

About Borneo Resource Investments Ltd.

Borneo Resource Investments Ltd. (OTCQB: BRNE) is a mining company that mines gold and develops producing gold mining properties as well as coal mining properties in the Republic of Indonesia. Borneo’s current assets include four gold properties, two of which are producing gold. Cash flow-producing investments in gold properties help fund Borneo’s operations and investments in gold, while the Company develops high value, longer-term investments in thermal “coal concessions,” which are properties that can be mined for coal. Borneo currently has one coal concession in the Borneo region of Indonesia. Indonesia was the 8th largest gold producing nation in 2012 and the world’s largest exporter of coal, with $25 billion exported in 2012.

HAIFA, Israel, July 8, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. (PSTI) (TASE:PLTR), a leading developer of placenta-based cell therapies, today announced the initiation of South Korean sites in the Phase II study assessing PLacental eXpanded (PLX) cells in the treatment of intermittent claudication (IC). Patient screening is now underway at three clinical centers, making South Korea the fourth country to participate in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II trial. The trial has been ongoing at clinical sites in the U.S., Israel and Germany with an enrollment target of 150 patients.

The South Korean part of the study is being conducted by CHA Bio & Diostech (Kosdaq:CHA) under an exclusive licensing agreement for the use of PLX cells for peripheral artery disease (PAD) in South Korea. Under the terms of Pluristem’s licensing agreement with CHA, if there is regulatory approval for a PLX product in South Korea Pluristem and CHA will establish a joint venture (JV) co-owned by the parties; they will share the revenues and income generated through sales of PLX cell therapies in the South Korean market. It is estimated that one million people in South Korea suffer from PAD and this number is expected to grow.

“We have a very productive partnership with CHA, as evidenced by our joint clinical program. Initiating our first trial in South Korea is a major milestone. We look forward to reporting further progress on our Phase II IC trial in the South Korean market,” stated Pluristem CEO Zami Aberman.

In May, Pluristem received clearance from the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) to use PLX cells in South Korean trials.

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 protein delivery platform that releases a cocktail of therapeutic proteins in response to inflammatory or ischemic conditions. 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.