International Stem Cell Corporation's Parkinson's Program to Be Highlighted at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting

CARLSBAD, CA--(Marketwired - November 11, 2014) - International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCQB: ISCO), a California-based biotechnology company developing novel stem cell-based therapies and biomedical products, announced today that the Company has been selected to present at the "Advances in Stem Cell Research" hot topics press conference at Neuroscience 2014, the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting in Washington D.C., at 10:00 a.m. EST on November 18, 2014. 

At the press conference, ISCO's chief scientific officer, Ruslan Semechkin, Ph.D., will present a summary of the preclinical dataset that forms the basis for the Company's regulatory submission in the Parkinson's disease program.

In addition, the Company will present a poster detailing the preclinical development of a neural stem cell-based therapy for Parkinson's disease. The poster will be presented on Sunday, November 16, 2014 between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. in WCC Hall A-C.

The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and clinicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. More than 30,000 people are expected to attend the annual meeting, making it one of the largest scientific and medical conferences in the world.

ISCO's Parkinson's disease program uses human parthenogenetic neural stem cells (hPNSC) which are a novel therapeutic cellular product derived from the Company's proprietary human pluripotent stem cells. hPNSC are self-renewing multipotent cells that are precursors for the major cells of the central nervous system. The ability of hPNSC to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons and express neurotrophic factors to protect the nigrostriatal system offers a new opportunity for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

About Parkinson's disease
According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, an estimated seven to 10 million people worldwide live with Parkinson's disease, with as many as one million of those in the United States alone, more than the combined total of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Lou Gehrig's disease. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder resulting from the gradual loss of certain neurons responsible for producing dopamine, and is characterized by symptoms including tremors at rest, rigidity and impaired movement.

The standard of care for the treatment of PD symptoms is oral levodopa (L-dopa). Oral dosing of L-dopa is associated with wide variability in the timing and amount of L-dopa absorption into the bloodstream, leading to the unreliable control of symptoms resulting in the emergence of OFF episodes, periods of time during which PD symptoms reemerge despite L-dopa treatment. These OFF episodes, which increase in frequency and severity during the course of the disease, are experienced by a majority of PD patients and are considered one of the greatest unmet medical needs facing PD patients.

About International Stem Cell Corporation
International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs), hence avoiding ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenetic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial backgrounds with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell™. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology (www.lifelinecelltech.com), and stem cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care (www.lifelineskincare.com). More information is available at www.internationalstemcell.com and companyblog.intlstemcell.com.

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