Benzinga | May 25, 2021 04:22PM EDT

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Highlights Presentation Of Poster 'Molecular Mechanisms Underlying MSC-NTF (NurOwn) Exosome Benefits in a Mouse LPS-induced ARDS Model' At Upcoming Meeting On May 25 At 8 p.m. EDT

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:BCLI), a leading developer of cellular therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, announced the presentation today of a poster titled, "Molecular Mechanisms Underlying MSC-NTF (NurOwn(r)) Exosome Benefits in a Mouse LPS-induced ARDS Model" at the ISCT 2021 New Orleans VIRTUAL Meeting, being held from May 25-28, 2021. The poster will be presented during Virtual Poster Hall Session 2: May 25, 20:00-21:30 EDT.

POSTER HIGHLIGHTS:

* One of the most severe complications of the current COVID-19 pandemic is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is caused by increased amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to severe lung damage and loss of lung function.

* Results from a study in a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ARDS showed that intratracheal administration of NurOwn (MSC-NTF cells)-derived exosomes resulted in a statistically significant improvement in multiple lung parameters and superior results compared to MSC exosomes. These included functional lung recovery, reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-?, IL-6, RANTES, and TNF-?) and attenuation of lung damage (fibrin deposition) and coagulation biomarkers (tissue factor and thrombin--antithrombin complex).

* Analysis of the respective protein cargo demonstrated higher levels of key regulatory molecules in MSC-NTF exosomes compared to MSC exosomes that may attenuate lung inflammation and promote lung repair, including leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF); amphiregulin (AREG); hepatocyte growth factor (HGF); and tumor necrosis factor stimulated gene-6 (TSG-6).

* These positive preclinical results suggest that intratracheal-delivered may be suitable as a therapy for COVID-19 induced ARDS. The higher effectiveness of MSC-NTF exosomes on ARDS physiological, pathological, and biochemical parameters, compared to exosomes isolated from non-induced MSCs, may be related to their enhanced protein cargo.

"Our strategy at Brainstorm is to explore the full potential of our proprietary platform cell technology and we have identifying ARDS as a serious unmet medical need where our exosome technology can potentially benefit patients," said Chaim Lebovits, CEO of Brainstorm. "At the same time we remain fully committed to advancing our cellular therapeutic pipeline in ALS and progressive MS."

Revital Aricha, Ph.D., VP, Research & Development of BrainStorm added, "The International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT) is a globally recognized organization focused on translational aspects of developing cell-based therapeutics. We are pleased to present our exciting preclinical data at this conference."