Exhibit 99.1
BioTime, Inc.’s Subsidiary OncoCyte Corporation’s CEO Dr. Joseph Wagner to Present at BTIG’s Inaugural “Emerging Technologies in Healthcare Diagnostics” Symposium
ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--September 19, 2014--OncoCyte Corporation, a subsidiary of BioTime, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BTX), today announced that Chief Executive Officer Joseph Wagner, Ph.D. is scheduled to present at the inaugural BTIG Emerging Technologies in Healthcare Diagnostics Symposium being held September 29-30, 2014 at The Benjamin Hotel in New York City. As part of the symposium, leading diagnostic companies will present on a series of thematic panels to familiarize attendees with the diagnostic space, associated technologies, and foster an understanding of how the tools work and why they should be adopted. Participants in the conference include publicly-traded companies as well as companies that, like OncoCyte, are not yet publicly traded.
During the symposium, Dr. Wagner will participate on two thematic panels. The first panel, entitled “Symptomatic Oncology – Innovations in Blood Testing” will convene at 1:10 PM on Monday, September 29. The second panel, entitled “Changing Screening Paradigms from Scratch” will convene at 3:40 PM on Tuesday, September 30. During the presentations and as part of the ensuing discussions, Dr. Wagner may provide an update on the clinical development of OncoCyte’s PanC-Dx™ products. In addition to his appearance at the conference, Dr. Wagner will also be meeting with investors in other meetings in New York beginning next week. BioTime plans to file a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission next week that will include the OncoCyte presentation materials that will be used in these investor meetings.
PanC-Dx™ is a class of non-invasive cancer diagnostics based on OncoCyte’s proprietary set of cancer markers, which were discovered by company scientists through an analysis of broad gene expression patterns in numerous cancer types. OncoCyte is currently sponsoring four clinical studies of PanC-Dx™ in bladder, breast, and lung cancer, of which approximately 1300, 800 and 750 subjects are expected to be enrolled, respectively. The data on the majority of these studies is expected to be collected and analyzed by the end of 2014.
About OncoCyte Corporation
OncoCyte, a majority-owned subsidiary of BioTime, Inc., is developing novel products for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in order to improve the quality and length of life of cancer patients. Based on large unmet need, market size, and data generated thus far from patient sample screening, OncoCyte is initially focusing its efforts on developing PanC-Dx™ diagnostic products for use in detecting breast, bladder, and lung cancers. PanC-Dx™ is a class of non-invasive cancer diagnostics based on a proprietary set of cancer markers characterized, in part, by broad gene expression patterns in numerous cancer types. The PanC-Dx™ biomarkers were discovered as a result of ongoing research within OncoCyte and BioTime on the gene expression patterns associated with embryonic development. This research has demonstrated that many of the same genes associated with normal growth during embryonic development are abnormally reactivated by cancer cells. These genes regulate such diverse processes as cell proliferation, cell migration and blood vessel formation. Many of these genes have not been previously associated with cancer. Moreover, expression of a large subset of these genes is conserved across numerous cancer types (e.g. cancers of the breast, colon, ovaries, etc.), suggesting these genes may control fundamental processes during cancer growth and progression. In addition to their potential value in developing diagnostic biomarkers, an understanding of the pattern of expression of these genes may also enable the development of powerful new cancer therapeutics that target rapidly proliferating cancer cells.
About BioTime
BioTime is a biotechnology company engaged in research and product development in the field of regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine refers to therapies based on stem cell technology that are designed to rebuild cell and tissue function lost due to degenerative disease or injury. BioTime’s focus is on pluripotent stem cell technology based on human embryonic stem (“hES”) cells and induced pluripotent stem (“iPS”) cells. hES and iPS cells provide a means of manufacturing every cell type in the human body and therefore show considerable promise for the development of a number of new therapeutic products. BioTime’s therapeutic and research products include a wide array of proprietary PureStem® progenitors, HyStem® hydrogels, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime is developing Renevia™ (a HyStem® product) as a biocompatible, implantable hyaluronan and collagen-based matrix for cell delivery in human clinical applications, and is planning to initiate a pivotal clinical trial around Renevia™, in 2014. In addition, BioTime has developed Hextend®, a blood plasma volume expander for use in surgery, emergency trauma treatment and other applications. Hextend® is manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by Hospira, Inc. and in South Korea by CJ HealthCare Corporation, under exclusive licensing agreements.
BioTime is also developing stem cell and other products for research, therapeutic, and diagnostic use through its subsidiaries:
- Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. is developing pluripotent stem-cell based therapies in neurology and oncology, including AST-OPC1 oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis and stroke, and AST-VAC2, an allogeneic dendritic cell-based cancer vaccine. Asterias trades publicly under the symbol ASTY.
- BioTime Asia, Ltd., a Hong Kong company, may offer and sell products for research use for BioTime’s ESI BIO Division.
- Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. is an Israel-based biotechnology company focused on developing stem cell-based therapies for retinal and neurological disorders, including the development of retinal pigment epithelial cells for the treatment of macular degeneration, and treatments for multiple sclerosis.
- ESI BIO is the research and product marketing division of BioTime, providing stem cell researchers with products and technologies to enable them to translate their work into the clinic, including PureStem® progenitors and HyStem® hydrogels.
- LifeMap Sciences, Inc. markets, sells, and distributes GeneCards®, the leading human gene database, as part of an integrated database suite that also includes the LifeMap Discovery® database of embryonic development, stem cell research, and regenerative medicine, and MalaCards, the human disease database.
- LifeMap Solutions, Inc. is a subsidiary of LifeMap Sciences focused on developing mobile health (mHealth) products.
- OncoCyte Corporation is developing products and technologies to diagnose and treat cancer, including PanC-Dx™, with three clinical trials currently underway.
- OrthoCyte Corporation is developing therapies to treat orthopedic disorders, diseases and injuries.
- ReCyte Therapeutics, Inc. is developing therapies to treat a variety of cardiovascular and related ischemic disorders, as well as products for research using cell reprogramming technology.
BioTime common shares are traded on the NYSE MKT ticker BTX. For more information, please visit www.biotimeinc.com or connect with the company on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Google+.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development, and potential opportunities for BioTime and its subsidiaries, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of BioTime and its subsidiaries, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in BioTime's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. BioTime disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
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CONTACT:
BioTime, Inc.
Judith Segall, 510-521-3390, ext 301
jsegall@biotimemail.com