SILVER SPRING, Md., Aug. 04, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (OTCQB:PMCB), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing targeted treatments for cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box®, announced today that Chardan Capital Markets LLC, a privately held full service global investment bank specializing in micro, small and mid-cap companies, issued an Industry Update featuring PharmaCyte Biotech. The report can be viewed at www.PharmaCyte.com/reports.
PharmaCyte Biotech’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, commented on the report saying, “We are very pleased with Chardan’s update of our efforts at PharmaCyte Biotech. As noted in the report, we expect to be fully underway in three clinical trials involving pancreatic cancer and its related symptoms during the first quarter of 2016. These trials consist of a Phase 2b clinical trial in Australia in which our pancreatic cancer treatment will be compared to the current gold standard for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and two clinical trials in the U.S. that deal with the unbearable pain and the accumulation of malignant ascites fluid resulting from advanced pancreatic cancer and other solid abdominal tumors. Our plans are to begin the clinical trials by the fourth quarter of 2015 and possibly sooner, but the start date for the clinical trials will depend upon regulatory approval of Austrianova’s cGMP encapsulation facility in Bangkok, Thailand. That is the facility where our genetically modified living cells will be encapsulated using the Cell-in-a-Box® technology.”
Chardan Capital’s Senior Research Analyst in Healthcare, Keay Nakae, CFA, authored the report, titled, “PMCB: Intriguing Platform for Delivering Targeted Therapies.” The report focuses on PharmaCyte Biotech’s encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box®, and its cancer and diabetes portfolios.
Mr. Nakae has over 15 years of experience as a sell-side research analyst covering healthcare companies. He previously worked at Ascendiant Capital, Collins Stewart/CE Unterberg Towbin and Wedbush Morgan Securities. During his career as an equity research analyst, Mr. Nakae has covered small- to large-cap biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies that compete in areas of cardiology, gynecology, neurology, urology, oncology, diabetes, aesthetics and cardiac and spine surgery. He has made numerous media appearances on Bloomberg TV and has been quoted in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Time, Business Week and the Los Angeles Times. Mr. Nakae has also been recognized by Forbes magazine in its annual survey of America's Best Analysts.
About PharmaCyte Biotech
PharmaCyte Biotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing and preparing to commercialize treatments for cancer and diabetes based upon a proprietary cellulose-based live-cell encapsulation technology known as “Cell-in-a-Box®.” This unique and patented technology will be used as a platform upon which treatments for several types of cancer, including advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer and its related symptoms, as well as diabetes are being developed.
PharmaCyte Biotech’s treatment for pancreatic cancer involves encapsulating genetically modified human cells that convert the prodrug ifosfamide into its active or “cancer-killing” form. These encapsulated live cells are placed as close to the tumor as possible to enable the delivery of the highest levels of the cancer-killing drug at the source of the cancer. Ifosfamide is then given intravenously at one-third the normal dose to eliminate the side effects normally associated with chemotherapy. When the ifosfamide comes in contact with the encapsulated live cells through the circulatory system, the activation of ifosfamide takes place at or near the tumor. This “targeted chemotherapy” has proven remarkably effective and safe to use in past clinical trials.
PharmaCyte Biotech is also developing treatments for cancer based upon the encapsulation of chemical constituents of the Cannabis plant. It is examining ways to exploit the benefits of the Cell-in-a-Box® technology in optimizing the anticancer effectiveness of Cannabis, while at the same time minimizing or outright eliminating the debilitating side effects often associated with cancer treatments.
In addition to developing treatments for pancreatic and other cancers, PharmaCyte Biotech is developing a treatment for Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 insulin-dependent diabetes. PharmaCyte Biotech plans to encapsulate a human cell line which has been genetically engineered to produce, store and secrete insulin on demand at levels in proportion to the levels of blood sugar in the human body. The encapsulation of the insulin producing live cells will be done using the Cell-in-a-Box® technology.
About Chardan Capital Markets, LLC
Chardan Capital Markets is an international investment bank headquartered in New York City, with offices in Los Angeles, Sydney and Beijing. Chardan provides a wide array of financial services, including investment banking, capital markets, international trading and equity research. The investment banking group focuses on providing banking and advisory services to private and public companies in small and mid-cap markets. The institutional coverage of Chardan Capital Markets spans North America, Europe and Asia. Chardan Capital Markets is a registered broker-dealer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), the Securities Insurance Protection Corporation (SIPC), the NASDAQ Stock Market and the New York Stock Exchange. To learn more about Chardan Capital Markets, visit www.chardancm.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding PharmaCyte Biotech and its future events and results that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions, as they relate to PharmaCyte Biotech or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Important factors, many of which are beyond the control of PharmaCyte Biotech, could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. They include PharmaCyte Biotech’s ability to continue as a going concern, delays or unsuccessful results in preclinical and clinical trials, flaws or defects regarding its product candidates, changes in relevant legislation or regulatory requirements, uncertainty of protection of PharmaCyte Biotech’s intellectual property and PharmaCyte Biotech’s continued ability to raise capital. PharmaCyte Biotech does not assume any obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.
More information about PharmaCyte Biotech can be found at www.PharmaCyte.com. It can also be obtained by contacting Investor Relations.
Investor Relations: PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. Investor Relations Department Telephone: 917.595.2856 Email: Info@PharmaCyte.com