International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO), www.internationalstemcell.com, will lead a free public discussion highlighting the ethical considerations and medical advantages surrounding the derivation of human stem cells from unfertilized human eggs using ISCO's patented technology known as parthenogenesis. The discussion, sponsored by The Center for Ethics in Science and Technology, will take place on Wednesday, January 5th from 5:30-7:00 pm at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center Community Forum, 1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA. Jeffrey Janus, Senior VP, will be the featured speaker in a program moderated by Michael Kalichman, Ph.D., Director of the Research Ethics Program at UC San Diego and co-founder and director of the Center of Ethics in Science and Technology.
“ISCO is one of the few therapeutic research organizations pursing the utilization of these unique cells because of not only the ethical advantages, but also because of these important medical considerations.”
ISCO's patented method of parthenogenesis results in pluripotent human stem cell lines having the positive characteristics of embryonic stem cells without the damage or destruction of a viable human embryo.
In preparation for the discussion, Dr. Kalichman and Mr. Janus will be interviewed on Monday, January 3, on XETV channel 6 at 7:25 am, and on the radio show "These Days" broadcast on KPBS, 89.5 FM at 9:20 am.
Registration for the free event can be made at www.ethicscenter.net.
In addition to the ethical advantages of not requiring the destruction of a viable human embryo, parthenogenetic stem cells possess unique qualities allowing them to be immune matched to millions of persons, giving them the potential to be used in many future stem cell based therapeutic applications. ISCO has derived ten parthenogenetic stem cell lines in Russia using Western-style informed consent processes, and is now setting up processes in the United States. However, the ethical and regulatory requirements involved in obtaining unfertilized human eggs in the U.S. present challenges to ISCO and other researchers working in stem cell field. ISCO's hope is to conform to these complicated regulatory and ethical frameworks so clinical-grade human parthenogenetic stem cells may be derived in the U.S. and used to create a bank of parthenogenetic stem cells that may be used by millions of persons of different sexes and racial groups.
According to Dr. Kalichman, "Success in scientific development often depends on both public understanding of science and on understanding by scientists of public concerns. The participation of ISCO in the proposed public forums is praiseworthy as a way to meet both of these goals."
"In addition to the ethical considerations, human parthenogenetic stem cells offer a potentially superior solution to stem-cell based therapies because they allow immune-matching that may alleviate immune rejection problems that are likely to hamper other stem cell therapies. This is especially important when the patients have a genetically-based disease, and cannot use their own stem cells," says Jeffrey Janus. "ISCO is one of the few therapeutic research organizations pursing the utilization of these unique cells because of not only the ethical advantages, but also because of these important medical considerations."
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