Benzinga | Apr 29, 2021 09:42AM EDT

Pluristem Stock Is Trading Higher As PLX-R18 Shows Regenerative Potential In Patients After Bone Marrow Transplant

* Pluristem Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: PSTI) has reported positive topline results from Phase 1 study evaluating intramuscular injections of PLX-R18 in subjects with incomplete hematopoietic recovery following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT).

* The results demonstrate that PLX-R18 has the potential to stimulate the implanted hematopoietic cells to realize their therapeutic potential and generate improved blood counts over the long term in all three blood cell lineages at once.

* Statistically significant improvement from baseline counts was observed in all cohorts for hemoglobin and platelet counts. The patients in the high dose arm (4 million cells/kg) exhibited statistically significant improvements in all three blood cell lineages.

* Approximately 60% of patients exhibited improvements in all three blood cell lineages: hemoglobin, neutrophil, and platelet counts.

* 13 patients were transfusion-dependent at baseline. Six of those became transfusion independent at six-month follow-up. No patients who were transfusion independent at baseline became transfusion dependent.

* PLX-R18 was well-tolerated with a favorable safety profile.

* Price Action: PSTI shares are up 5.5% at $4.76 on the last check Thursday.