BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies for neurodegenerative diseases, has signed a definitive agreement with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to conduct its phase II clinical trial of NurOwn in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), pending US FDA approval.

In addition, Mayo's Human Cell Therapy Laboratory will manufacture the NurOwn cells for their clinical trial participants. The other two sites slated for the multi-centre trial are the University of Massachusetts Memorial Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.

"We are delighted to be progressing further with our preparations for the trial and honored to be collaborating with Professor Anthony Windebank and the Mayo Clinic," said Chaim Lebovits, president of BrainStorm. Mayo Clinic is one of the largest stem cell clinical trial centers worldwide, with 27 trials currently in phase I.

"BrainStorm's mesenchymal stem cell-based approach is very compatible with some of the research conducted in our centre," commented Anthony Windebank, MD, Professor of Neurology and Principal Investigator of the study. "This trial is a logical next step in developing novel treatments for ALS which is a terrible disease with no effective treatment for our patients and their families."

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company engaged in the development of first-of-its-kind adult stem cell therapies derived from autologous bone marrow cells for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.